Ahead of Halloween, Cree communities warned about gummy bears laced with drugs

Police and health officials in Quebec are warning people in the Cree communities that gummy bears containing cannabis could be circulating.

The Sûreté du Québec recently intercepted a vehicle heading to one of the Eeyou Istchee communities and the candies were seized, according to a joint statement from the Eeyou Eenou Police and the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.

"The gummy bears look the same as regular candy (same shape and colours), some are even sealed in a plastic wrapper as a regular candy would be," the statement says.

The candies are laced with THC, the ingredient found in cannabis, though authorities do not know how much of the drug is in each.

"We are treating this as a serious risk for potential poisoning," the statement says.

"We are asking the population to be extremely vigilant, especially during the Halloween period."

Parents are urged to carefully inspect their children's treats. Warning signs of a child who has ingested the drug include: acting strangely, slurred speech, hyperactive, nausea or fatigue.

The statement also had a message for drug dealers.

"You are putting your community members in danger, and now, you are putting children at risk of accidental overdose," it reads.

"Take this moment to think about your actions. Maybe the time has come for you to stop trafficking drugs."