Police Seize THC-Laced Nerds Rope, Warn Parents to Check Halloween Candy

A recent drug bust in Johnstown, Pa., uncovered loads of cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana candies. (Johnstown Police Department)

Pennsylvania police have warned parents to check their children’s Halloween candy to ensure they are safe to eat, after officers found drug-laced sweets last week.

In a Facebook post, the Pennsylvania’s Johnstown Police Department shared its findings after police seized packages of THC-laced Nerds Rope during a search warrant, which contained about 400 milligrams of the drug per rope.

“**ATTENTION** The Johnstown Police would like to draw extra attention to the Nerds Rope edibles containing 400mg of THC found during a search warrant in Stoney Creek Twp,” the Johnstown Police Department wrote on Facebook on Oct. 10.

Officers encouraged parents to be extra careful in checking their children’s sweet treats this Halloween as it may be difficult to tell the difference between the drug-laced candy and normal sweets.

“During this Halloween, we urge parents to be ever vigilant in checking their children’s candy before allowing them to consume those treats,” the department added. “Drug laced edibles are package [sic] like regular candy and may be hard to distinguish from the real candy.”

In a statement, Ferrara Candy Company, the manufacturer that produces the candy, said it is “working with the relevant authorities,” reported CBS News.

“This product is counterfeit and in no way associated with Ferrara Candy Company. We want to reassure consumers that the products they find at major retailers across the country are safe for them to consume.”

THC Candy Hospitalizes Student

In September, a Louisiana mother and her 11-year-old daughter were arrested after the child offered THC-laced gummy candies to fellow students at her school, according to St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Alexandra Price, 30, was arrested for possession of a Schedule I drug; manufacturing a Schedule I drug; cruelty to juveniles; sale, distribution, or possession of a drug without a prescription; and possession of drug paraphernalia, reported news outlet Nola.

One student at the Mandeville-area school was hospitalized after consuming one of the marijuana-laced gummies given to her by the 11-year-old, said spokesman for the sheriff’s office, Capt. Scott Lee.

THC, also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound responsible for many of the psychological effects of marijuana.

Lee said on Sept. 11 that detectives were alerted by the sheriff’s office deputy—who was working as a resource officer for the school—after he noticed a child “had a reaction” to a THC-gummy.

Detectives then visited the 11-year-old’s home where they discovered THC edibles and drug paraphernalia, according to Lee.

Price was arrested after admitting to investigators she had been manufacturing the goods.

Meanwhile her daughter was arrested for distribution of a Schedule I drug because she allegedly knew the candies contained THC, the sheriff’s office said. The child was released into the custody of a family member.

Hemp vs. Marijuana

While hemp and marijuana are both a type of cannabis plant, they are also very different. Marijuana can contain up to 30 percent THC, an intoxicating substance. Conversely, hemp contains less than 0.3 percent THC and contains more cannabidiol (CBD), a compound with medical benefits.

Some of the other possible uses for industrial hemp include biodegradable plastics, paper, textiles, construction materials, health foods, cosmetics, animal feed, and fuel.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb made it clear in a press release last December, that the Food and Drug Administration is committed to protecting and promoting the public’s health, and will continue to strictly regulate products, foods, and dietary supplements containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds.

In the statement, Gottlieb also said the FDA will provide pathways for those who seek to lawfully introduce these products into interstate commerce and continue to take steps to make pathways for the lawful marketing of these products more efficient.

NTD reporter Jeremy Sandberg contributed to this report.