FILE: Gummy candy stars made of marijuana are seen at Perennial Holistic Wellness Center medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, California. Experts have long warned that it can be difficult for people to know the difference between marijuana gummies and regular candy when the THC-version is taken out of its packaging. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
TREMONTON, Utah — Police in northern Utah say a Tremonton man tricked his coworkers into eating gummies laced with THC, the “high”-inducing ingredient in marijuana. They sat disguised in plain sight alongside regular candy in its normal packaging.
In a probable cause statement, police allege that Cristian Cabrera mixed pot gummies with regular candies in a Life Savers bag. Police say he told coworkers he combined two types of candy in the bag, to explain the different appearance.
Sgt. Brian Crockett with the Tremonton-Garland Police Department said they quickly sorted out what happened when people started feeling strange. At least five employees of North Eastern Services in Tremonton apparently ingested the marijuana-laced treats.
“Officers responded, and you know, in talking with people, they stated that another employee had been giving them all like a ‘Life Saver’ gummy,” Crockett said. “They had all compared notes . . . the ones that hadn’t [eaten the candy] — they felt fine, and the ones that did, they felt off — felt like something was amiss.”
Police booked Cabrera into the Box Elder County Jail on suspicion of surreptitious administering of a certain substance. If prosecutors decide to charge him, the offense is a felony under state law.
Utah Poison Control Center Outreach Coordinator Sherrie Pace says anyone who finds themselves feeling “off” after eating something can contact the poison control hotline. That number is toll-free at 1-800-222-1222.
“We actually have health care professionals that answer our phones. And they have special training in toxicology and can help with any sort of concerns that you have about that,” Pace said.
That includes assisting even if you don’t know what you ingested. And Pace stresses, your call stays confidential.