This report from Alicante describes a police intervention related to a child under 17 months who was taken to the state hospital after tests showed positive for the active cannabis component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The child’s illness included vomiting and a temporary loss of consciousness, and the situation arose after the child ingested worms that imitate a well-known snack brand and contain THC in their composition. The mother was arrested for injuries and temporary neglect of a minor. She claimed the products were bought by mistake from a grocery shop, but police checks disproved this assertion.
The Underage Group of the Alicante Provincial Police Station was alerted by managers at the General Hospital lactation facility. A young child with altered consciousness was evaluated, and medical tests confirmed THC exposure. The hospital activated its protocol for such cases and notified the National Police about the incident.
Hospital alert
Police teams arrived at the hospital after being informed and spoke with hospital staff and the child’s mother. They confirmed the child had swallowed snacks from a bag the mother had provided. The bags located at the scene contained THC and were associated with a product carried and sold as snacks. In Spain, items like these snacks are banned, though some listings may appear online alongside other foods containing THC.
File image of Alicante Provincial Police Station.
The mother told agents that she had inadvertently bought the tiny worms in a routine food purchase, assuming they were ordinary snacks. Following this explanation, officers visited the mother’s stated workplace, where the business owner denied selling the product in question.
The National Police inspected all food items in the store and reviewed security footage, determining the problematic product did not originate from that store. Investigators concluded the worm-containing bag had not been purchased there and that the mother did not enter the store to acquire it, according to the police inquiry.
After these checks, the National Police detained the mother on charges of injury and temporary abandonment of a minor. She later tested positive for THC and was discharged from Alicante General Hospital two days after admission. The detainee was released after police testimony and is set to face Alicante court for further investigation of the case, with authorities continuing to pursue the facts surrounding the incident.