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Officials warn of marijuana sold in smiley-face gumballs

INTELLIGENCE ALERT U.S.
Greenades

INTELLIGENCE ALERT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

********************* "Greenades" (marijuana gumballs) in Howard County, Maryland

The Maryland State Police-Forensic Sciences Division Laboratory in Pikesville recently received two yellow gumballs, each with a smiley face printed on one side and a bored hole filled with greenish-brown vegetable matter on the opposite side.

Both gumballs were wrapped in tin foil labeled as "Greenades" with a marijuana leaf and detailed instructions for use.

The exhibits were seized by a school-assigned police officer from two high school students performing a purchase while they were passing between classes at a Howard County (Maryland) High School.

Analysis of the plant material by microscopy, GC, GC/MS, Mayer's, and modified Duquenois-Levine confirmed marijuana (THC content not quantitated).

Each gumball contained approximately one gram of marijuana, and the total net mass of the two gumballs was 17.5 grams.

This was the first submission of Greenades to the Maryland State Police-Forensic Sciences Division.

[Notes: The perimeter of the label includes instructions: "Take 30 mins - 1 hr before you would like receive your high" (and) "Chew for as long as possible, then swallow." Gumball diameter = About 1 inch.]

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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