Detroit cops warn parents to check Halloween candy after discovering fake snack packages containing THC and mushrooms

Police in suburban Detroit have warned parents to watch out for dodgy Halloween treats after discovering THC and magic mushroom products in packaging that mimicked well-known candy and chip brands.

Detectives searching a house in Warren, Michigan Thursday discovered psychoactive drugs dressed up to look like packs of Jolly Ranchers, Airheads, Lay's chips, Doritos, Nerds, and other snacks, according to the Warren Police Department.

"The packaging made these products look like regular, well-known candies and snacks. It is clear that these items were intentionally designed to mimic popular treats which any child would enjoy eating," a spokesperson told The Independent.

In fact, photos released by police showed that most of the packages had some kind of warning on them, such as"600mg THC PER PACK", "medicated", or "KEEP AWAY FROM KIDS... ADULTS 21+."

The spokesperson clarified that these were not “authentic products” that had been “tampered with” or “laced”. Instead, they were simply packaged to externally resemble genuine products, creating “the potential to be confused, especially by children.”

Officials did not say whether anyone was charged over the packages and gave no evidence that they were actually intended to be handed out to children.

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Stories of poisoned trick-or-treat candy often circulate at Halloween, but actual cases are very rare. Criminology professor Joel Best has argued that they are merely an "urban legend" with no basis in fact, endlessly revived by small town police departments, worried parents, media reports, and sometimes even federal law enforcement agencies.

After all, it's not clear what drug dealers would stand to gain from handing out potentially lethal amounts of narcotics, at no cost, to people with no disposable income of their own to spend on further hits.

Recreational cannabis and THC are legal in Michigan, although psilocybin — the hallucinogenic chemical found in magic mushrooms — is not.

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Police commissioner Eric Hawkins said: “”We’re grateful to have removed these items before they could fall into the hands of children.

"This serves as an important reminder for families to carefully inspect all Halloween treats and to prioritize safety this season."

Police warned residents to check every piece of candy before eating it, throw away anything that was not pre-wrapped unless they know and trust the source, watch out for any signs of tampering, and ask their children not to eat any candy until it's been checked by an adult.

This story was published at 8:19 p.m. EDT on Monday October 27, 2025, and updated at 8:50 p.m. with further details from the Warren Police Department.