As Halloween approaches, the Oklahoma Poison Center in Oklahoma City is advising families to be cautious about products that look like candy but contain harmful substances. The center has seen an increase in cases where children mistake marijuana edibles, nicotine products, and some medications for candy. These incidents have led to medical emergencies.
From January 1 to July 31, 2025, the center received 125 calls about children aged 0 to 5 who ingested marijuana. In these cases, 45 children had moderate or major medical effects, and 54 were hospitalized. There were 268 calls about marijuana exposures in all age groups during this time.
Nicotine exposures are also increasing. The center recorded 161 calls for children ages 0 to 5 related to tobacco or nicotine products. Forty of these involved nicotine pouches. These pouches are often brightly packaged and may be mistaken for candy. Even small amounts of nicotine can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or seizures in young children…