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Reason
Reason
Jacob Sullum

Cops and Reporters Are Still Hyping the Halloween Threat Posed by Strangers With Cannabis Candy

It's October, which means it is time for alarmist cops and credulous reporters to start warning parents about the purported menace of cannabis edibles in trick-or-treat bags. KSNT, the NBC affiliate in Topeka, Kansas, got a jump on that annual rite last month, when it amplified a "community advisory" from the St. Mary's Police Department about "THC-infused gummies and snacks marketed to children ahead of the holidays."

That framing is misleading in at least two ways. First, it assumes that producers of marijuana edibles that resemble popular candy brands are targeting children, who cannot legally buy such products even in states where adults can, as opposed to nostalgic grownups with a sweet tooth. Second, it implies that nefarious adults are apt to distribute THC treats on Halloween, requiring extra vigilance by parents who already worry about the danger allegedly posed by needles, glass shards, or poison that might be lurking in their kids' candy hauls.

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