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As Halloween approaches, the Health Bureau reminds parents to check the candy and snacks brought back by their children, and keep cannabis edibles, medicines and small items separate to avoid accidental ingestion, poisoning or suffocation.
31st (Saturday)Halloween In the coming days, the Municipal Health Bureau will remind parents that when their children come home asking for sweets, they should check them before allowing them to eat, and any candy that looks like candy or biscuits should be kept away.marijuana Keep the food separate from normal snacks to prevent small children from accidentally eating it and getting poisoned. Medicines, glow sticks and small toys can also pose a risk of poisoning, accidental swallowing or suffocation.
Last year on Halloween, the NYC Poison Center received a total of 124 calls related to possible toxic substance exposure, 47 of which involved children under the age of 12. Glow sticks, toys, and small objects were among the most common reasons for asking for help. Additionally, between July 2025 and June 2026, the center received 137 calls for help related to exposure of children under five to cannabis edibles.
City health director Alistair F. Martin reminded that before kids eat candy, parents should take a few minutes to check items they bring home and properly store drugs and marijuana products, especially those that look like candy.
The Health Bureau recommends that parents and caregivers discard candies and snacks that are opened, have no packaging, have packaging that is damaged, or have been tampered with, and check labels for ingredients that could trigger food allergies. Cannabis edibles, which may come in the form of gummies, chocolates, cookies, etc., should be kept in their original packaging, separated from Halloween candy and other edibles, and stored in a safe location out of the reach of children.
Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and vitamins can also be mistaken for candy by children, so they should be kept out of sight and out of reach. When young children use glow sticks or glitter ornaments, adults should supervise them and not allow children to cut, chew, or break them. Hard candies, chewing gum, small toys, and other small objects can cause choking. Button batteries should also be stored properly to avoid accidental swallowing.
The Municipal Poison Control Center provides free and confidential counseling 24 hours a day, year-round, and is answered by professionally trained pharmacists and nurses. The telephone number is 212-POISONS, (212) 764-7667, and interpretation services are available in more than 150 languages. When seeking assistance, you can prepare the person’s age, weight, name and weight of the product, time and symptoms of the incident, and provide his or her name and callback number to facilitate professional assessment.
The Health Bureau emphasizes that if someone suspects exposure to toxic substances, and the person is awake and conscious, even if symptoms have not yet appeared, they should call the center immediately; After swallowing a suspected toxic substance, do not induce vomiting yourself. If you lose consciousness, have convulsions, or have trouble breathing, call 911 immediately.
Summary FAQ
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Parents should check the candies and snacks brought back by their children one by one to confirm that the packaging is complete and the source is normal before allowing the children to eat them; If they are open, damaged, or suspected of being tampered with, they should be removed straight away.
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Marijuana edibles, prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, glow sticks, small toys, hard candies, chewing gum and button batteries can be eaten or swallowed by children, and can even cause poisoning, suffocation or injury.
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If your child is awake and conscious, even if they have no symptoms, call a poison control center right away. Do not induce vomiting after swallowing any suspicious substance. If your child faints, has convulsions, or has trouble breathing, call 911 immediately.
