US Attorney Mike Stuart Continues his Campaign of Propaganda with Fake Public Health Alert

U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia put out the following public health alert …

THC Infused Edibles: A Potential Hazard to Kids

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart wants the public to be aware that THC-infused edibles are being packaged in a manner that is appealing to kids. Parents and caregivers need to be aware of this fake candy and potential other THC infused products containing, in some cases, potent levels of THC. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant to insure the safety of consumable products that could be ingested, intentionally or innocently, by their children.

On June 15, 2019, members of an Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Initiative interdicted a parcel containing 7.5 lbs. of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) infused candy. The parcel originated in California and was destined for Florida when intercepted. Both packages of candy had clear warnings to keep out of reach of children and animals, however, the packaging was almost identical to commercially available products. The AHIDTA Seizure Bulletin can be found here.

“Trick or Treat will never be the same again. This fake “candy” is all trick and no treat,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “It is packaged like candy. It looks like popular candy. It tastes like candy. But, instead, it is a very powerful and potent way to get high. Any unsuspecting child or teenager could easily stumble along a package and innocently eat it not realizing the potency of the THC infused in the product. The average marijuana joint contains .3 grams of THC. This fake “candy” contains nearly 35% more THC than an entire average joint. It is outrageous that this powerful drug is marketed to children. Parenting is challenge enough without having to check a child’s candy for potent levels of THC. This just means parents will have to work double duty on Halloween. I want to personally thank AHIDTA for its initiative and its interdiction of this dangerous product.”

So it looks as if someone was moving some edibles on the black market, and got busted. Something that would not likely exist in the absence of prohibition and excessive taxation on legal, regulated cannabis.

Of course, that’s not the message here, as Mike Stuart is not using his position of power to be honest about cannabis, but rather to diffuse the type of anti-cannabis propaganda that would make guys like Harry Anslinger and Richard Nixon proud.

What’s particularly concerning about this “public health alert,” however, is that Stuart makes the following statement …

The average marijuana joint contains .3 grams of THC. This fake “candy” contains nearly 35% more THC than an entire average joint. It is outrageous that this powerful drug is marketed to children.

Edibles, or as Stuart calls them, “fake candies,” are not marketed to children. No legal edible is marketed to kids, and kids can’t even legally buy cannabis. He knows this, so why would he make such a statement, other than to continue to the prohibition on cannabis? Something, by the way, that has been far more detrimental to the health of our communities than the actual substance he’s so concerned about.

But you know the drill. Truth and honesty are not relevant when it comes to the war on drugs. And while I agree that we should do everything we can to keep cannabis out of the hands of kids, scaring people into believing that Halloween is going to be ruined because folks are going to slip edibles into the bags of trick-or-treaters is absurd.

This is anti-cannabis propaganda in its truest form. And it needs to be called out.