New Jersey Police Say Child Was Given Package Of Delta-8 Candy While Trick-Or-Treating

Attorney generals in several American states are reemphasizing the message from a pre-Halloween advisory that warned parents to be on the lookout and check through their children’s trick-or-treat bags for cannabis-infused candy.

On Wednesday, reports of a package of Delta-8-infused gummies called Nerdy Bears that were found in a child’s Trick-or-Treat bag circulated through the coastal New Jersey town of Stafford. Police said the brightly-colored package of edibles were given out in a popular residential area on Halloween night and contained 20 servings with 18.5 milligrams of Delta-8 THC in each.

The Nerdy Bears package featured cartoon characters resembling those from popular U.S. hard candy Nerds. But unlike the sugary Nerds, the Delta-8 lookalike offered a different kind of buzz.

“Nerdy Bears are a sweet shareable treat, with a generous amount of Delta-8 that will knock you off your feet,” read the package provided in a photo by Stafford Police. The package also warns “Do not use if under 21 years of age.”

Hemp-based Delta-8 THC skyrocketed in popularity from the beginning of 2020 to earlier this year because of its similarity to Delta-9 THC, the main marijuana cannabinoid that gives users a psychedelic lift. Known as ‘marijuana-lite’ or ‘diet weed,’ Delta-8 provides slightly milder versions of the typical cannabis buzz – which can include feelings of energy, euphoria, relaxation, sleepiness and even pain relief.

Nearly all Delta-8 products are extracted synthetically from CBD, which comes from hemp. And U.S. authorities perhaps unknowingly opened the door for Delta-8 when it passed the 2018 Farm Bill in December of that year.

But most states, including New Jersey, have since cracked down on its use or banned it altogether. The Press of Atlantic City in September reported Delta-8 products are still “readily available” at New Jersey CBD stores though. While the state’s Department of Agriculture has banned producing it, most Delta-8 products are now being shipped in from outside of New Jersey.

The FDA claims products with Delta-8 THC can also contain harmful by-products from chemicals used in the production process. Authorities advise keeping Delta-8 products away from children and animals.

Before Halloween, at least five attorneys general, including Letitia James of neighboring New York, warned about cannabis-infused lookalike products designed to resemble standard snack foods and candy.