For those of us who are into cannabis, a weed brownie might make for a relaxing dessert at the end of a long week. But the tough part about edibles is the fact that once something is baked in, it may be hard to distinguish a laced brownie with a standard brownie. And that might have caused a mix-up that sent 10 people to the hospital.
The incident took place at a senior center in Canada. The weirdest part of the story is that the brownies came from a catered lunch. Typically with catered food, staff members are extra cautious.
“These luncheons are catered,” OPP constable Miles Loach said to CBC News.
“It’s still part of the investigation whether that was what happened … somebody brought the wrong batch or somebody spiked them.”
Police were called in to investigate after several senior citizens noticed worrisome symptoms. Insider reports that many people who ingested the brownies felt dizziness, nausea, and disorientation.
These lunches happen frequently at the club, but this is the first time an incident like this has taken place.
According to the Globe and Mail, James McNurdo, who frequently arranges these events, was mortified.
“We’ve got to get to the bottom of this, no doubt about it,” he said.
“…The rumor mill is in overdrive.”
One of the toughest parts about finding out who did it?
The brownies were served buffet-style, meaning that anyone could have secretly tampered with them once they were out.
That means it may not have been the fault of the caterers.
Still, they were likely quite embarrassed by what happened.
The good news is that the 10 seniors who reported symptoms are okay.
While marijuana can hold many benefits, people still react to it differently, which is why it can be dangerous in a situation like this.
Plus, it’s never good to eat something without fully knowing what it is.
If one of the seniors doubled (or tripled!) their brownie intake due to their love of chocolate, the pot could have caused a lot more damage.
Even though there was potential for danger, people still thought the incident was mildly humorous.
Twitter had a heyday once the story went live.
— Xheffie🌹 (@realxheffie) March 21, 2019
It might have been the wildest luncheon they ever experienced.
Unintentionally, of course.
Never has anyone laughed so hard watching Matlock.
— Justin (@JustHarrington) March 21, 2019
But, some people had a heart.
Especially those with elderly parents themselves.
Geeeeez!! 🤨 C'mon pple! I think of my own parents at 80 and I would be sooo upset pic.twitter.com/QLuAnXmPZy
— Dawn🇨🇦Dawn🍁 (@DD4evr) March 21, 2019
Yes, pot has been legalized in many areas to help with pain relief and stress.
But, like with all drugs, it has the potential to be dangerous if misused.
I agree. I am not sure why people would laugh this. It the shoe was on the other foot they would be upset.
— Nikki Great (@jnikkinikki) March 22, 2019
The mental image may be a little humorous, but the culprit should be ashamed.
There was no reason for an act like this to take place.
I dunno...This is an act of poisoning vulnerable persons. It's pretty serious actually. No different than dropping drugs into an unsuspecting persons drink.
— Marina Graham (@MarinaG17807027) March 21, 2019
Just imagine if your grandmother thought she’d be enjoying a nice lunch, but ended up paranoid and hospitalized.
The story likely made news as a reminder that it’s always important to be responsible and think about how your actions may affect other people.
Even if it was a prank, it wasn’t a funny one.
Regardless of age, it’s never okay to give someone an edible without telling them.
— 🅶🅴🅽 💟 (@bebz_gen) March 22, 2019
“Thank goodness nobody was injured. Because if somebody had been allergic or got in their vehicle and drove and had an accident and killed somebody or whatever, then we’d be facing a whole different set of charges,” Constable Loach noted to The Globe and Mail.
Those may have been consequences that the culprit didn’t even think about.
The fact that many of these seniors may have been on medication makes it a lot worse.
So, remember. You may depend on edibles to liven up your party.
And in the right circumstance, with enough knowledge and level of responsibility, they can make a big difference.
Apparently a lot of you think I don’t know the difference between a pot brownie & a vegetable brownie...my dudes, I went to art school. Pot brownies are 87% of the curriculum.
— The Sassiest Semite (@LittleMissLizz) March 21, 2019
But, they’re not for everyone.
And it’s irresponsible to serve them to people who didn’t expect to feel a high while enjoying lunch.
Dollar store parking lot in Monroe.... pot brownies aren’t my friend... https://t.co/byLP9ZDaP0
— megan albright (@almighty_megg) March 24, 2019