Pubdate: Fri, 24 Feb 2006 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Vito Pilieci Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) POT-FLAVOURED SWEETS PUT OFFICIALS' NOSES OUT OF JOINT Chronic Candy, Favourite Munchie Of The Stars, Contains Hemp Oil But No Intoxicants OTTAWA -- New marijuana-flavoured suckers, gum drops and chocolates are causing huge controversy across the United States, sparking Chicago and Suffolk County, New York, to ban the products. The sweets, made by a company called Chronic Candy in Corona, Calif., are now shipping across the border into Canada, thanks to the company's Canadian website and mail-order purchase division. The website, for the company's Canadian operations, states the candy has already been sold in Canada at last July's World Electronic Music Festival in Wasaga Beach, northwest of Toronto. The company uses real essential hemp oils to give the marijuana flavour to its products. But, the company making the candy says the products do not contain any tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance found in marijuana. The candy has been featured on TV talk shows such as Late Night With Conan O'Brien, where rapper Snoop Dogg promoted the product, saying "what do you do when you're on chronic? You want sweet things, you want munchies. So we pacify you by giving you Chronic Candy." Other stars, including Paris Hilton and Mini-Me Verne Troyer of Austin Powers fame, have been vocal in their support. The candy, which has the slogan "every lick is like taking a hit" and "relax it's just candy," comes in a variety of marijuana-themed flavours, including Purple Erkle, Blue Haze, Rasta, Chronic and Hydro. The candies sell for about $1 US each for the suckers, $5 for a bag of the gum drops (called Sticky Icky Buds) and a sack of chocolate for about $2. The company's website, www.chroniccandy.com, plays up its celebrity advocates while pumping out 50 Cent's hit song Welcome to the Candy Shop. At least one Canadian expert believes the product may be helping to trivialize substance abuse. Rosemary Munro, a certified alcohol and drug counsellor with Toronto's Addiction Intervention Services, said numerous studies indicate marijuana is a gateway drug to harder drugs, such as cocaine. She said parents need to speak to their children and educate them about the new candy, and about the drug culture in general, before it has the chance to become the next cool fad. "As if there isn't enough stuff out there already," said Munro. "With adolescents, the drug of choice is still marijuana." The candies have a grassy, oily taste and "therefore have the flavour and taste of some hemp-related products that you may or may not be familiar with," according to the candy's website. Some of the stores selling the product require purchasers to be over 18 to buy it. The candy is already sold all over the U.S . More than 43 stores in New York City alone carry itt. The candies have become so popular, and have sparked such a controversy, that the state of Georgia is proposing Bill 551, which would see any hemp-flavoured candies made illegal for sale anywhere in the state. Other states are considering similar legislation, including New Jersey and Michigan. - --- MAP posted-by: Tom