Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics Talks About Marijuana Detection

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) says marijuana is being disguised in so many forms that it is becoming more difficult to detect. The biggest concern is children are getting their hands on the drug so easily.

On Wednesday morning, a marijuana training was held for Oklahoma law enforcement agents across the state. It was at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, held by POWER coalition of Eagle Ridge Institute.

Law enforcement, several undercover, were trained about medical marijuana and recreational marijuana use in today’s world, and problems that youth are facing with the drug.

The OBN spoke at the event, bringing some examples of confiscated items in Oklahoma. Items like lollipops, honey, cotton candy and gum were all foods that were laced with marijuana and brought to the state illegally.

“This was just literally sitting in a store here in Oklahoma,” said Mark Woodward, Spokesman for OBN. He was referencing a jug of lollipops. “According to the convenience store employee, he did not realize they were infused with THC. He just took the word for it from the manufacturers.”

Students were talking about the marijuana lollipops at school. Woodward says OBN was eventually notified. The candy was tested positive for THC. With so many new faces of marijuana, Woodward says it can be injected into anything edible. That makes it difficult for law enforcement, parents and teachers to recognize marijuana use.

Woodward said marijuana nowadays is a lot stronger and can lead to overdoses.

“People simply think it’s the same marijuana that people dealt with 30 or 40 years ago and that is simply not the case. It is so much stronger today.”

Sports drinks, brownies, or gummy candies are some things that would appeal to kids that could be spiked. He says teens are also using a form of marijuana calls dabs. Marijuana in a joint form contains about 9 percent THC, but dabs can be concentrated to 90 percent.

Woodward says high-grade marijuana products are coming from California or Colorado and making its way to Oklahoma.