Grafton Police: Teenagers’ cache of ‘Gummi Sharks’ packed a bit of a bite

It looked like a teenager’s stash of watermelon gummy candy, but it was in an odd place — in the woods, in a pile of rocks, behind condos on Buttercup Lane.

But a resident who saw a group of teenagers running away from the cache had some suspicions, which Grafton Police Officer John Ropiak confirmed: the seven packages of “Gummi Sharks” were edibles infused with 500mg of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, which are illegal for teenagers to possess.

Police are now seeking the identities of the teens, as well as how they came to possess the edibles.

“The Grafton Police Department would like to warn parents and guardians about the dangers of ingesting THC edibles by teenagers,” the department said in a news release. “It’s not only unlawful for anyone under 21 to possess marijuana/cannabis and products infused with THC, it is also dangerous.  Because these items are packaged similar to commercially available candy, parents and guardians need to closely examine suspected THC edibles.

“According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), edibles take longer to digest and produce a high.  Therefore, youth may consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to an increase in dangerous results.  Taken in large doses, the intoxicating effects of cannabis may include diminished concentration and impaired memory.  Acute cannabis toxicity can result in severe anxiety, panic attacks, nausea, respiratory insufficiency, delirium, psychosis, paranoia and hallucinations.”

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