# Marijuana-laced lollies cause 24 overdoses at US concert



## burnin1 (Aug 7, 2016)

This is all over the news feeds. I thought when someone overdosed they passed out. I can just see the anti prohibition people using this news story as a reason to oppose medical marijuana and recreational use. More reefer madness propaganda in my opinion. ~ Burnin1
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*Marijuana-laced lollies cause 24 overdoses at US concert*







Someone began tossing bags of colourful marijuana-laced lollies to concertgoers at a rap music festival in Ohio on Saturday. 

*Source: *AAP 

7 Aug 2016 

Two dozen concertgoers in the United States have suffered overdoses after eating marijuana-laced lollies.

No fatalities were reported at the Ohio Dreams sports camp complex in Butler, about 100km northeast of Columbus, where the weekend-long EST 2016 rap music festival was being held. The Ohio concert was dubbed The Last Weekend on Earth.

Major Joe Masi of the Richland County Sheriff's Department told the Mansfield News Journal someone began tossing out bags of the colourful lollies on Saturday.

The packages contained about 20 pieces each and were marked "prescribed medibles" with a reference to a commercial lolly brand, according to photos posted to social media.

Masi said each piece had "a very, very high dose of THC", the chemical that gives marijuana its mind-altering effects. Only one or two lollies would get a user high, but some people were eating whole packets, officials said.
Starting around 4pm, ambulances loaded with overdose victims were arriving at OhioHealth in nearby Mansfield, said hospital spokeswoman Nikki Workman.

She said 24 people were treated, including with the overdose antidote naloxone.

WEWS-TV reported the person giving out the lollies was a man wearing a grey baseball cap with a red visor and a black T-shirt with a marijuana leaf on it.

The festival, headlined by Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly, was set to continue through the weekend.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/08/07/marijuana-laced-lollies-cause-24-overdoses-us-concert


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## Keef (Aug 7, 2016)

What up Burnin1 ?
It says the patients were treated including administering naxolone-- That is narcan the antidote for narcotic overdose !-- Does absolutely nothing to  if U  don't have opioids in your system !-- Dumb as*es !--
Say U wouldn't know where a fellow could score a couple bags of that candy ?--  Strictly research !-- I take them over to the O.F.C.  and we see who can eat the most !-- Bet ya them old Stoners won't go to the hospital !--


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 7, 2016)

There really is something off about this story...


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## Keef (Aug 7, 2016)

U got that right THG !-- This wasn't an accident !-- This was done on purpose to make an anti MJ news story that shows the danger of this deadly drug !--


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## pcduck (Aug 7, 2016)

I heard that the cops knew which concert goers OD by their uncontrollable laughter. :rofl:

Sounds like another water story to me.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 7, 2016)

Interestingly, I have just read a CBS News story on MSN that makes absolutely no mention whatsoever of marijuana or THC being in these candies.  They say that the candies are being tested to determine what was in it.  Whoever stated that there was "a very very high dose of THC" is just blowing smoke out of their bum.  This appears to be just **, totally fabricated with nothing to back it up.  Rather reminiscent of the THC in the water story a while back, isn't it?  I also haven't seen anywhere what the symptoms of this supposed overdose was?  Also, how stupid does someone have to be to eat something that they have no idea where it came from or what was in it?


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## zem (Aug 7, 2016)

There you have it... your proof that one can OD on mj, what more proof do you want?


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## WeedHopper (Aug 7, 2016)

If the idiots ate a whole bag of candy,,they are morons. 1st off they warn you in Colorado about eating to much because of the altitude. Probably just a bunch of ****.


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## burnin1 (Aug 7, 2016)

Really!!!  Jeesh!!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkq8r0ziOP0[/ame]


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## Keef (Aug 7, 2016)

I don't understand what the big deal is ? -- That happens at all the music / weed festivals in Texas !-- I know at the last Texas Cannabis Cup they were on the PA saying don't eat the brown lollipops !-- but people did anyway !--


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## zem (Aug 8, 2016)

I want that prescribed medibles baggy, I have been trying to OD on mj for a while, I missed my chance


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## Hackerman (Aug 8, 2016)

I have not seen one reference as to whether these people KNEW they were eating laced candies.

If they knew and did it voluntarily, that is TOTALLY different than being given candy and not knowing it was laced.

Stories like this is why I don't watch the news. The media seldom knows or prints the whole truth.


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## WeedHopper (Aug 8, 2016)

Very true Hackerman ,,,if thats the case, ,the asshats that handed out the candy needs thier *** kicked.


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## burnin1 (Aug 8, 2016)

From thecannabist.co

*I felt like I was everywhere at once: Man arrested after 24 Ohio concertgoers sickened by THC candy*

*Matthew Gross, 28, was arrested and charged with felony drug trafficking after authorities say they believe he's responsible for distributing the packets of candy at EST Fest *






CLEVELAND, Oh.  At first glance, the treats seemed harmless enough: palm-sized bags of brightly colored candies resembling the popular Nerds brand, with Prescribed Medibles by Dr. Greenbuds in playful text on the front label.

Packets of the candies began to circulate on Saturday morning among attendees at EST Fest, a two-day outdoor music festival in central Ohio. Concertgoers said someone had a backpack loaded with the packets and was tossing them out to the crowd.

Its unclear how many of the roughly 3,000 people at the festival ate the candies, but by late-afternoon 24 concertgoers had been hospitalized for fatigue and other unusual symptoms, the Mansfield News Journal reported. Paramedics initially treated the victims for opioid overdoses, but stopped when lab tests on the candies showed only high concentrations of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.

By the end of the night, authorities found the person they believe was responsible. Matthew Gross, 28, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, was arrested Saturday and charged with felony drug trafficking, according to the News Journal.

Police say a witness saw Gross throwing the candy packets into the crowd at Ohio Dreams, the action sports venue in Butler, Ohio, that hosted EST Fest. The witness took pictures of Gross and gave them to security officers, who used them to identify Gross among the throngs of people dancing and partying at an event billed as The Last Weekend On Earth.

After being detained, Gross reportedly let sheriffs deputies search his backpack, where they found two bags of the candy, in addition to bags he had on his person. At first, Gross denied they were his, but later told deputies he was helping to pass them out because he was part of the candys brand, Cleveland.com reported. He then changed his story again, saying he was giving them out because he heard the parking lot and exit were closed, according to Cleveland.com.

Authorities said Gross turned over two identification cards showing he was licensed in Michigan to grow and possess marijuana. Deputies are reportedly asking for Grosss bond to be set at $50,000.

The website Michorganics.com sells marijuana edibles identical to the Nerds candy that Gross allegedly gave out for $10 each, or three packets for $25. Both Michigan and Ohio have laws regulating marijuana for medical use, but possession or distribution for non-medical purposes is a crime in both states.

The packages Gross is accused of giving out contained about 20 candies each, and started circulating at the festival between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday, Richland County Sheriffs Maj. Joe Masi said in a press conference that afternoon.

One or two pieces would have been enough to get someone high, but some people ate entire packs, authorities said.

It wasnt long before concertgoers started having bad reactions. By afternoon, firefighters had received numerous reports of people with unusual symptoms beyond a typical marijuana high, according to the News Journal.

One of the people hospitalized was Amy Fabian, who told an ABC affiliate that she ate one Nerd and quickly became disoriented and had trouble breathing.

I felt like I was everywhere at once, Fabian said. And it was not a good feeling.

Around 4 p.m., ambulances reportedly began transporting victims to OhioHealth Hospital in Mansfield, where paramedics treated them with naloxone, a drug used to combat heroin and oxycodone overdoses.
Word spread quickly among concertgoers.

These edibles are laced with opiates, one attendee posted (incorrectly) on Instagram, along with a photo of the candy.

Do not take this Not safe! posted another.






The scare at EST Fest came as Ohio authorities have raised the alarm about carfentanil, a powerful elephant tranquilizer, making its way in to heroin supplies, and in some cases being sold as heroin itself. In July, a central Ohio man was charged with selling a batch of carfentanil that caused one death and nine non-fatal overdoses. The tranquilizer has also been linked to overdoses in Akron and Cincinnati, the Associated Press reported.

In total, 24 EST Fest concertgoers were admitted to the hospital after eating the Nerds candies. When none responded to the naloxone treatments, paramedics sent the candies to the Mansfield Police Department crime lab to be tested, the News Journal reported. Results showed no opioids, but lots of THC.

Each had a very, very high dose, Masi said. The crime lab director had never seen such a high concentration, he said.

In the end, no one lost consciousness or died, according to authorities.

Whoever passed these out, Masi said, did not give the people any instructions.

This story was first published on WashingtonPost.com
http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/08/...tgoers-sickened-thc-candy-tossed-crowd/60437/


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## Keef (Aug 8, 2016)

I tip my hat to the man and his brand !-- U can't buy that kind of publicity !--- How many Stoners read this and think ---I got to have me some of that !-- They not gonna be able to keep up with demand !

Respect to the mastermind !


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## burnin1 (Aug 8, 2016)

I wonder if some people will think.. wow that's some strong stuff. Then they will be looking for that that brand and asking for it if they don't see it at a dispensary.


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## burnin1 (Aug 8, 2016)

I agree Keef.  However this transpired the end result is free publicity.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 9, 2016)

burnin1 said:


> I agree Keef.  However this transpired the end result is free publicity.



Except he is charged with a felony,  is in jail, and has a $50,000 bond.  Not quite "free" publicity.


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## Keef (Aug 9, 2016)

Morning THG -- I bet the company will bail him out soon as bail is set !-- Good company lawyers will plea bargain it down to a misdemeanor !-- He'll plead guilt to a lesser charge and probably get paid for his troubles !-- The article says they found him very quick !-- When they ask who was passing out the candy he said it was me ?-- The publicity wasn't free but it was very cheap considering !--


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## pcduck (Aug 9, 2016)

He is in Ohio, where nothing is quick and easy when it comes to the judicial system. 

The felony will stick. Passing out drugs, that caused people to get sick, crossing state lines with them is a no-no here. No reason to plea bargin, he already admitted to the crime.


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## Keef (Aug 9, 2016)

Knowing these things don't U think it is strange how he jumped right up and confessed ?-- One of 2 things is true he is either a complete dumba** or there's  more to this than meets the eye !-- Growing up I learned that U could apply a simple test to most things !-- If it looks like Bullsh** --Smells like Bullsh** and taste like Bullsh** -- There's  a pretty good chance it's  Bullsh** !--Something smells about this story !--


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