Burnaby RCMP are warning the public about cannabis candies and how hard it can be to distinguish them from regular treats.
On Wednesday, RCMP displayed a haul of recently-seized pot-based treats, ranging from lollipops to gummy bears to cheesecakes.
They warned that the look, taste, and even smell of the seized marijuana edibles can be indistinguishable from normal snacks.
To prove their point, RCMP released an image of store-bought candy and cannabis-infused candy that was seized by police to show how easy it is to mix them up.
With the exception of colour, there is little or no difference in the images.
“Somebody with a keen eye might be able to make that difference. However, the reality is, if you’re a child, you probably won’t be able to,” said RCMP Cpl. Brett Cunningham.
“Parents and adults need to take the proper precautions to ensure that these are in secure locations, not accessible to children.”
Three new classes of cannabis product became legal in Canada earlier this month: topicals, extracts, and the long-anticipated launch of edibles.
B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth has said the products would not be available in retail outlets until January.
The delay is based on 60 days’ notice that producers must provide to Health Canada of their intention to sell the products.
— With files from Simon Little and The Canadian Press