Police warn against eating cannabis-infused cake

Police in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and the central Thanh Hoa Province have officially issued a warning against consuming a brownie, which began to be imported into Vietnam around four years ago but has recently become popular among consumers, especially high school and college students.

The brownies, sold under the name Lazy Cakes, are made from a cannabis extract mixed with flour, dried fruit, and chocolate. They sell for VND200,000-300,000 ($8.48-12.73) each.

Police said that people who ate the product reported experiencing euphoria, hallucinations, sleepiness and fits of laughter.

Nguyen Huu Khanh Duy, director of Thanh Da Drug Addiction and Nursing Center in HCMC, said the cake gave consumers those feelings almost immediately. Duy said further that some consumers even got addicted to the product without even realizing it.

"Those who are usually in the state of anxiety and restlessness will feel excited, happy, and enthusiastic and that would make them crave the cake even more," he said.

Experts said long-term use of cannabis will cause damage to brain cells and cause users to experience nervous breakdowns, cognitive disorders, and an inability to concentrate.

They added that the cake may cause consumers temporary respiratory failure and make them fall into a coma.