Child enters coma after consuming cannabis-laced Haribo candy
A small child fell into a coma after consuming Haribo Happy Cola F!ZZ candy, which turned out to be contaminated with cannabis. The child was taken to a specialized children's hospital after his health deteriorated, while another child from the same family was admitted to a hospital in the Dutch city of Almelo.
A spokesperson for Ziekenhuisgroep Twente confirmed that the two children are currently recovering after receiving the necessary treatment, noting that "the presence of cannabis in candy can lead to serious health consequences." Following the incident, Haribo announced a precautionary recall of all 1 kg bags of Happy Cola F!ZZ candy, which have a best before date of January 2026 and production code L341-4002307906, in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) reported that it found traces of cannabis in three packages of candy purchased by regulators, and an investigation is underway to determine how the drug got into the candy.
Contaminated packages were sold through the chain of stores Medikamente Die Grenze. Authorities advise consumers not to consume the candy from the same batch and to contact Haribo for a refund.
The police, the public prosecutor's office, and the NVWA are investigating the incident, while Haribo has confirmed its full cooperation with the relevant authorities to ensure consumer safety.