Reader: Paranoid Parents, Don't Send Your Obnoxious Kids Out to Beg for Candy

Billboards have gone up around town, asking "Can you spot the pot?" They're from smartcolorado.org, of course, the leading opponent of legalized marijuana. But the Denver Police Department is also cautioning parents that their kids might be handed pot-laced candy this Halloween, and media outlets are jumping on the story...

By Patricia Calhoun

October 24, 2014

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Billboards have gone up around town, asking "Can you spot the pot?" They're from smartcolorado.org, of course, the leading opponent of legalized marijuana. But the Denver Police Department is also cautioning parents that their kids might be handed pot-laced candy this Halloween, and media outlets are jumping on the story. And what's the real chance that a kid will pick up cannabis next Friday? Smaller than an unwrapped orange M&M, says Jenn Wohletz, who explained why Halloween won't be cannapocalypse this week.

Says Michelle:

How about people who are that paranoid about this, you don't send your obnoxious kids out to beg for free candy? That way you can ensure nothing will happen.

Says RobertChase:

Be on the lookout for unsavory characters in uniform (but without name badges) handing out cannabis-laced candy to trick-or-treaters; if anyone has an interest in giving edibles to children, it's the Denver Police Department!

Says Nora:

Local television news: be afraid. Be very very afraid of whatever our threat of the week/day/hour is.

What's the bigger threat this Halloween: an overdose of edibles, or an overdose of fear-mongering stories? And who takes unwrapped candy these days, anyway?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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