Four children taken to hospital after eating ‘cannabis-infused sweets’

Three of the children vomited uncontrollably and slipped in and out of consciousness after eating the sweets, Surrey Police said.

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Four children were taken to hospital after eating jelly sweets that were likely infused with cannabis, according to Surrey Police.

A twelve and thirteen-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl were rushed to hospital in an ambulance after suffering a violent reaction to the sweets, vomiting uncontrollably and falling in and out of consciousness, police said.

Another twelve-year-old boy was taken to hospital by his family as a precaution as he was also believed to have eaten the sweets. All four children stayed in hospital overnight for observation.

Police say there is a suggestion that the sweets may have been supplied to the children, who believed them to contain cannabis, at the Court Recreation Ground park in Epsom.

They added that they do not have a clear description of the sweets involved in the incident, but that they had a similar report of “jelly apple rings” which appear as green jelly circles the previous night. The person involved in that incident did not suffer a violent reaction.

Surrey Police were called to the shops on Pound Lane in Epsom, close to Court Recreation Ground, to respond to the incident by the South East Coast Ambulance service on 1 May. They later urged parents to speak to their children about the potential dangers of “edibles”.

Detective Sergeant Lee Marks said: “We are, of course, trying to understand what these sweets are, where they came from and what they contain. However, our immediate priority is to warn parents; and to tell children in the area not to be tempted to try them as they are obviously causing substantial harm.

“These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘CBD infused’ are illegal, and therefore unregulated, in the UK. They can appear to be commercial products with professional packaging, but this should not be taken as a sign that they are safe or legal.”

Police urged people concerned about the health of those who may have taken the sweets to call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency.

They added that anyone with information about the supply of the sweets in Epsom or who has found similar sweets or related packaging should not destroy them but contact Surrey Police via their website (www.surrey.police.uk) quoting reference PR/P21090934 or call Surrey Police on 101.