Four children in Surrey taken to hospital after eating sweets potentially containing cannabis
The children aged between 12 and 13 are said to have had a 'violent reaction'
Several children have been taken to hospital after suffering a violent reaction to from eating jelly sweets that they believed contained cannabis.
One boy and one girl both aged 12 years old and a 13 year-old boy were taken to hospital.
A fourth 12-year-old boy has been taken to hospital by his family as a precaution, as he is also believed to have eaten the sweets.
Surrey Police say they were called at 2.15 today (1 May) by the South East Coast Ambulance service to the parade of shops on Pound Lane. Epsom.
Three children were vomiting uncontrollably and falling in and out of consciousness.
They were taken to hospital by ambulance, and all four children will remain in hospital overnight for observation.
Officers say they do not yet have a clear description of the sweets involved but the force had a similar report from last night in the local area involving "jelly apple rings" which appear as green jelly circles.
The individual in that incident was less affected.
Surrey Police are now asking parents in Epsom to urgently speak to their children about the dangers of "edibles".
There is a suggestion that the sweets may have been supplied to the children at the Court Recreation Ground.
Detective Sergeant Lee Marks said:
"We are, of course, trying to understand what these sweets are, where they came from and what they contain.
"However, our immediate priority is to warn parents; and to tell children in the area not to be tempted to try them as they are obviously causing substantial harm.
“These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘CBD infused’ are illegal, and therefore unregulated, in the UK.
"They can appear to be commercial products with professional packaging, but this should not be taken as a sign that they are safe or legal."
Anyone who is concerned about the health of someone that they believe may have taken these products is asked to call NHS 111 (999 in an emergency).
If you have information about the supply of these sweets in the Epsom Area, or if you have found similar sweets or related packaging in the area local to Court Recreation Ground, do not destroy them, but contact Surrey Police either online or via 101 quoting reference PR/P21090934.
In an emergency, always call 999.