Bedfordshire parents warned about dangers of cannabis edibles after M1 drugs bust
Parents across Bedfordshire are being warned about the dangers and signs of cannabis edibles this summer.
Police have issued the warning after a man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply drugs following the discovery of almost £50,000 worth of cannabis and cannabis gummies.
Reuben Parker, aged 23, and of Vicarage Farm Road, Peterborough, was arrested following a crash on the southbound M1 between junctions 12 and 13 on July 24.
Officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit found a substantial quantity of drugs, including multiple packets of cannabis gummy sweets, packaged to look like brands of children’s sweets.
Detective Sergeant Ben Dunckley said: “This was a substantial quantity of drugs that have been taken off the streets and it serves as an important reminder to everyone of the dangers of cannabis edibles.
“Parker had gone to considerable effort to make these sweets look as close to the real thing. We are urging parents to be vigilant and be aware of what your children are buying or receiving from others.
“We are advising parents to be aware of what ‘sweets’ their children may have in their bedrooms and bags.”
Parker was also charged with driving without insurance and driving a vehicle on an invalid license. He will be sentenced in September.
People are being told to look out for slightly different spellings of the product name, along with altered or fake logos on packaging containing cannabis-infused sweets. They are likely to have information about how strong the cannabis content is.
Police say that drug-infused sweets can be dangerous to anyone, as it can be difficult to know the strength and exact contents of edibles purchased.
The effect of consuming edibles takes longer than smoking cannabis, which can lead to young people thinking that it hasn’t worked and consuming more.