Four children were rushed to hospital from Epsom yesterday after eating sweets which are believed to have contained cannabis.

Surrey Police has issued an urgent warning to parents after the children suffered a "violent reaction" from eating jelly sweets, understood to have been infused with the active psychedelic ingredient in cannabis, THC.

Surrey Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service were called to the parade of shops in Pound Lane after a 12-year-old boy and girl, as well as a 13-year-old boy, were vomiting uncontrollably and falling in and out of consciousness.

They were rushed to hospital by ambulance while a fourth child, a 12-year-old boy, was taken to hospital by his family as a precaution.

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Surrey Police said it did not currently have a clear description of the sweets involved, however had received a similar report in the local area involving "jelly apple rings" which appear as green jelly circles.

 

The incident comes after a string of incidents in the southwest London area in recent weeks, with children hospitalised in similar circumstances in Merton and in Sutton.

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.

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“These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘THC 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, please do not destroy them, but contact Surrey Police via the online chat on our website (www.surrey.police.uk) quoting reference PR/P21090934. You can also call Surrey Police on 101. In an emergency, always call 999.