On Monday, April 13, 2026, the Stratford Police Service was contacted regarding a 10-year-old youth who had become ill after ingesting a cannabis gummy, requiring medical attention.
Police attended the residence and were informed that at the end of the school day the youth arrived at the Pyramid Recreation Centre, in the Town of St Marys, to attend the after-school program.
It was later confirmed through video surveillance that upon arriving at the Pyramid Recreation Centre the youth found a candy appearing to be a gummy on the floor inside the entrance and consumed it after picking it up.
The youth became ill while at the after-school program, prompting parents to be contacted and the youth being taken to hospital. It was later confirmed that THC was present in the youth’s blood. The youth was treated and later released into the care of family, at which time police were contacted.
The Stratford Police Service encourages all parents to talk to their children about the importance of not consuming unknown items. As well, although cannabis is a legal substance for individuals over the age of 19-years, it is important to handle and transport these items with care. Many cannabis edibles have a similar appearance to many popular candies and can be incredibly dangerous to youth and other vulnerable members of our population.