The Troubling Thing Parents and Police Fear Could Be Hidden Inside Children's Halloween Candy This Year

Forget ghosts and ghouls. Parents and advocates believe that they have something entirely different to fear this Halloween season: pot-laced candy.

With the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has come concern over the possibility that the drug could make its way into children's goodie bags as they trick or treat.

The concern has apparently been rampant and credible enough for the Denver Police Department to release a video warning parents of what to look out for, according to the New York Times.

That short clip warns parents to check their kids' candy and to dispose of any off-brand treats that seem suspect or appear to be tampered with.

Watch that short public service announcement, which was released earlier this month, below:

The Times noted that some pot advocates believe these fears aren't warranted, noting that there are no documented cases of drug laced candies being distributed on Halloween.

Still, many parents worry that the growth of alternative weed-infused products could spell trouble for their kids.

Marijuana companies producing candies and drinks are experimenting with child-proof packaging, among other elements aimed at helping curb the problem, as some advocates cite recent statistics to claim that enough isn't being done to protect kids.

Take, for instance, the fact that nine children were treated for accidentally consuming marijuana at Children's Hospital Colorado in the first half of 2014; this was more than the entire number treated in all of 2013, the Times reported.

Colorado's poison-control center has also reported an increase from 11 calls for young kids exposed to the drug in 2010 to 26 calls last year.

AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, file

And it seems these concerns have also resonated with Colorado's Department of Public Health & Environment, which recently proposed limiting the kinds of edible products that can be produced and sold.

"Considering only the public health perspective, however, edibles pose a definite risk to children, and that's why we recommended limiting marijuana-infused products to tinctures and lozenges," chief medical officer Dr. Larry Wolk said in a statement.

It is unclear whether this provision will be adopted, as it is merely in a proposal phase. For now, advocates are warning Colorado parents to be extra diligent with inspecting their kids' candy.

(H/T: New York Times)