THE Namibian Police have warned parents to discourage their children from buying or receiving cookies from strangers, as they might contain cannabis.
The police, in a statement yesterday, said they have confiscated different types of cookies and brownies, which were tested and found to contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a component of cannabis.
Suspects, who reportedly target youth and high school pupils, have been arrested in Windhoek and at Katima Mulilo.
On 13 June at around 14h10, the police arrested a 23-year-old Namibian male suspect in Windhoek's Pionierspark suburb after he was found selling and in possession of 103 cannabis brownies valued at N$2 020.
The cookies are sold at different prices for up to N$50.
Police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi said the cookies are reportedly addictive and can even result in an overdose when three or more cookies are consumed at once.
“The cookies come in [different] shapes – heart, square and round – and have chocolate and vanilla flavours to attract youthful customers. The cookies do not differ in shape and form from any other cookies or biscuits, so they are difficult to differentiate. However; in terms of ingredients, the cookies contain components of cannabis,” Shikwambi said.
Brian Jafta, president of Ganja Users of Namibia, agrees with the police on the sale of cannabis items to children and calls on the dealers to stop selling them to children.
“As much as cannabis is a herb and helps people with chronic medical conditions, there are various synthetic cannabis products out there that can look, smell and taste like the real thing and can be a health risk, especially to children,” Jafta said.
He called for the legalisation of cannabis for commercial, medicinal and private recreational use.
Jafta said by calling for the legalisation of cannabis, they do not seek unregulated cannabis use or sale to children, but rather a monitored enterprise that can create income for the government.
“We are saying adults should be able to use cannabis in the comfort of their homes, and the government could venture into the cannabis industry to generate income for state coffers,” Jafta says.
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