A New Zealand charity working with the homeless in Auckland unwittingly handed out sweets containing potentially lethal levels of methamphetamine in food parcels.
The Auckland City Mission announced on August 14 that the charity had received reports from several people that the candies, donated by an unknown member of the public, “taste funny”. Those who consumed the candy reported a “bitter taste and unusual sensation.”
As a safety measure, the white pineapple candies — labeled Malaysian brand Rinda — were sent to the NZ Medicines Foundation for testing. Tests later confirmed that the candies contained approximately 3 grams of meth.
“A typical ingestible dose is between 10-25 mg, so this contaminated lollipop contained up to 300 doses,” CEO Sarah Helm said in a statement. “Ingestion of this much methamphetamine is extremely dangerous and can lead to death.”
Auckland City Mission is working to contact those who received the food parcels, while police have launched an investigation.
“To say we are devastated is an understatement,” the charity said. “We rely on the generosity of the public to help people in need and are grateful to everyone who supports us.”
“Our immediate priority is the safety of the people we support,” the statement continued. “We will conduct an internal investigation over time to understand if our processes can be improved.”
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Rinda brand pineapple lollipops that contain methamphetamine.
New Zealand Medicines Foundation
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Glenn Baldwin, a detective on the case, said 29 candies have been found so far, but it’s unclear how many were in circulation. Associated Press reported.
One staff member was reportedly hospitalized after consuming the treats. Baldwin said a child and a “young person” were also hospitalized and later released.
Rinda said in a statement that the company learned from news reports that its candy “may have been misused,” insisting it would cooperate with authorities.
“We want to make it clear that Rinda Food Industries does not use or condone the use of any illegal drugs in our products,” CEO Steven Teh said, according to the AP.
The NZ Drug Foundation warned that symptoms after consuming the sweets include chest pain, racing heart, seizures, hyperthermia, delirium and loss of consciousness. Anyone who has eaten and does not feel well is urged to seek medical help immediately.
“We don’t know how widespread these contaminated lollipops are, so we recommend that you do not eat Rinda brand pineapple lollipops if you have them,” Helm said.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education