Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating

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Parents please be considerate when handing out candy, as some of the children who come to your door may have special needs.

• The child who is grabbing more than one piece of candy may have poor fine motor skills.

• The child who takes forever to pick out one piece of candy may have poor motor planning skills.

• The child who does not say ‘trick-or-treat’ or ‘thank you’ may be non-verbal.

• The child who looks disappointed when he/she sees your bowl, may have an allergy or diabetes.

• The child who isn’t wearing a costume at all may have sensory issues (SPD) or autism.

Working with the Framingham Police Department, we've gathered some Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating which covers some things before you go, as well as tips for adults, treats, costumes, pedestrians, and drivers. You can see those PDFs attached below!

It's rare for candy laced with marijuana and other drugs to end up in a child's trick-or-treat basket on purpose. However, many marijuana (cannabis) edibles look very similar to regular candy and could easily be confused for Halloween treats. Cannabis can be harmful for children of all ages. It's important to check a child's treat haul before they eat anything. (resource links from www.healthychildren.org)

As various forms of cannabis edibles become more accessible and prevalent, it’s important to be aware of potential risks to children from THC-infused edibles. Cannabis edibles contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's psychological effects.

Cannabis edibles, such as gummies, chocolates, lollipops, and other edibles made to look like candy, pose a serious risk for two major reasons: first, it often looks like hard candy/gummy candy/chocolate and can be easily mistaken for regular candy (the packaging also resembles brand-name items which can make it difficult to tell the difference), and second, marijuana edibles are made with highly concentrated marijuana oil or extract, making the THC level in these candies considerably higher than that found in marijuana cigarettes.

Parents should call the Framingham Police Department at 508-872-1212 (or, in an emergency dial 911) if they find what they believe to be a marijuana edible, marijuana candy, or anything else that is concerning in their child's Halloween bag. Parents should handle it with gloves and wash their hands and their child's hands after removing it as a precaution.

We hope those of you that celebrate have a fun and safe Halloween.

Sincerely,

Framingham Public Schools