Cannabis-derived gummy worms found in 5-year-old’s Halloween candy, mom says

ST. LOUIS - A mother in Missouri says she found cannabis-derived gummy worms in her 5-year-old’s Halloween candy after a trunk-or-treat event Saturday.

Tiffany Burroughs took her three young boys to the event held at JJ’s Restaurant, which hosts monthly car shows.

Restaurant co-owner Stephen Bell said the Halloween-themed event held in October, in conjunction with trunk-or-treat, always has a big turnout.

“They loved going, dressing up in their costumes,” Burroughs said.

Burroughs said she noticed an unusual package of gummy worms in a candy bowl but didn’t think much about it until she inspected the children’s candy at home.

The package was labeled as “Delta 8,” which is a cannabinoid found in the Sativa plant.

Online sellers say it can make someone high, but not like using marijuana, and that it helps a person feel calm and relaxed.

Burroughs called the police, and officers notified the restaurant.

“Me and the manager and the other owner walked through the lot. I mean we looked through everyone’s candy, and we couldn’t find anything,” Bell said.

Police also checked all the candy and didn’t find any additional packages of Delta 8.

Despite concerns that the cannabis-derived gummy worms look just like candy gummy worms, police said they believe the incident was just an accident.

“We don’t believe, at this time, there was malicious intent. That somehow these gummy worms got mixed in with candy because they do look like candy,” said Lt. Tom Wilkison of the St. Charles Police Department.

Wilkison said this incident is a reminder to all parents to make sure they inspect their children’s Halloween candy.