MEDIA RELEASE

25 September 2018

Family First NZ is concerned about reports that a Marlborough candy company is marketing wine gummy bears, and is warning that alcohol edibles will be attractive to children, and could normalise the taste and consumption of alcohol to underage children.

“The association of alcohol with a lolly is a dangerous track to go down, and begs the question, where will it stop for the alcohol industry? This may be a small fun venture, but it’s a step towards a bigger market which will cause confusion and potential health harms, based on overseas evidence,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“The Marlborough winemaker has already admitted that ice-cream and candy floss are other products to be marketed. But we should put people before profits.”

“This is how the Big Marijuana industry is targeting users in the US – and especially young people. Legalisation has resulted in a boom in pot ‘edibles’. THC concentrate is mixed into almost any type of food or drink, including gummy bears, ice-cream, soda, lollipops, fizzy drinks and chewing gum.”

Today, these edibles comprise at least half of Colorado’s legalised marijuana market. Their attractiveness to kids have led to serious problems in legalised states like Colorado.

“We should leave kids’ foods to be safe for kids.”

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