Marijuana-Shaped Lollipops and Gummy Candy Encourages Use of Illegal Drugs, Say Parents

Lately there’s been quite a bit of a hubbub surrounding a new candy item sold in corner stores and novelty shops. Parents everywhere are outraged to the point that they have enlisted the help of their City Councilman to intervene. So what is the big deal about this new line of bulk candy cheap products? Parents say they encourage the use of marijuana.

How could a piece of candy or a lollipop encourage kids to smoke pot? Well, the candies are all shaped like marijuana leaves, for one thing. The gummy candies are little, plump green marijuana leaves and the lollipops look like a pot leaf on a stick. They are also packaged in bags that have a picture of a young man (or boy, you could argue) with a joint in his mouth. He’s smiling and raising his hand in a peace sign. He is a cartoon character and the graphics on the package are cartoonish in nature as well.

Yup, that sounds pretty much like a marijuana themed product targeted at kids. If you think so too, we’re not the only ones. Anti-drug activists and parents everywhere are up in arms about these products’ availability in stores where children visit.

The creator of these pot candies claims that they promote the legalization of marijuana, a plant whose medicinal qualities have made it legal for those with a prescription. In addition to the cartoon pot smoking boy, the packaging of these candies also has the word “Legalize” in big letters. There is a movement to legalize marijuana for everyone, but it has not gained much traction with lawmakers as of yet.

Perhaps it was not his intention to promote the illegal use of marijuana. But to overlook the potential for these products to do just that is at best naïve. If I were a company who wanted to promote the use of marijuana to young people, I’m not sure how you could create a product the would be more suited to doing so than candy. And then sell it in corner shops.

I’m not saying this company has any intention other than to create a controversy for publicity sake. But all intentions aside, if you ask yourself “does this product have the potential to promote drug use among children”, you are lying if you say it does not. Straight up.

Here are the owner of that company’s words from a quote in the Huffington Post. “We don’t advocate for a political position. We just look at what the marketplace wants and respond to it. It’s just candy… It’s sour apple flavor, it doesn’t claim to be pot in disguise or anything like that.”

How much you wanna bet this guy doesn’t have kids?

(AP Photo/David Duprey)