The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned parents to pay closer attention to the snacks and confectionery products consumed by their children following the interception of cannabis infused cookies and gummies smuggled into Nigeria.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, issued the warning on Sunday while sharing images of the seized products.
“As parents, if your kids and young ones always crave for cookies and gummies, you may have to pay a little more attention. There may be more to it than ordinary cookies and gummies,” Babafemi said.
The warning followed a major interception by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, where two 40 foot containers containing large quantities of cannabis infused products were discovered concealed among legitimate imports, including used vehicles, generators, batteries and fabrics.
The consignment, which originated from the United States, contained thousands of Delta 8 cannabis pre roll cookies, cannabis infused gummies and other cannabis cookies, with an estimated street value of about ₦373.8 million.
The seized products were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA for further action.
According to the agency, some of the products were packaged in colourful pouches and marketed in appealing flavours such as Hawaiian Rain Pineapple Guava and Thai Mango. Others were labelled as vegan and hemp-derived.
NDLEA officials described the products as an emerging public health concern, particularly because their attractive packaging could make them appealing to children, students and other young people.
The agency has therefore urged parents to be more vigilant about the snacks their children consume and to pay attention to products that may appear ordinary but could contain harmful or prohibited substances.
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