Parents beware! Your children’s snacks may be spiked with cannabis
Parents are being urged to keep a close eye on what their children snack on, as the new “cannabis jelly” that is fast becoming popular can be fatally dangerous.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said that snacks like jelly, cakes and brownies spiked with cannabis can be fatal for young people.
CIB was citing data provided by the Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand, which said that persons under the age of 20 should not consume cannabis. This is because the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis can affect their developing brains.
“Cannabis can affect mental and emotional development, increasing the risk of developing schizophrenia,” CIB quoted the paediatrician study as saying. “The former narcotic plants can also have both long and short-term effects on consumers’ health. Some people may develop a strong allergic reaction, including myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia or stroke.”
Other side effects of cannabis include disorientation, nausea, hallucination, epilepsy, muscle twitching, high blood pressure, chest tightness, trouble breathing, heart attack, stomach ache and vomiting.
CIB said that though Thailand has legalised cannabis and hemp and is promoting them as cash crops, the law still prohibits the use and sale of the plant to persons under the age of 20. Cannabis products are also prohibited for pregnant and nursing mothers. Violators can face up to one year in prison and/or a 20,000 baht fine.
