US police department posts chilling warning about certain Halloween sweets

The need to keep our little ones safe is always foremost in our minds, but around Halloween in particular we really seem to ramp up our game. Worries about costume safety and trick or treating are commonplace and understandable.

However, a US police department has released a chilling warning we probably wouldn’t have thought about before. Via their Facebook page, police in Jackson, Mississippi are warning parents to be extra vigilant of certain sweets children receive when trick or treating in case they are ecstasy tablets. They warn that the small, multi-coloured tablets look just like sweets but in fact can cause a fatal overdose in children.

The post warns: "If your kids get these for Halloween candy, they ARE NOT CANDY!!! They are the new shapes of "Ecstasy" and can kill kids through overdoses!!! So, check your kid's candy and "When in doubt, Throw it out!!!" Be safe and always keep the shiny side up!!!"

While we know the general rule: if it’s not wrapped and looks in any way suspect, chuck it, but is this warning something we should genuinely worry about?

The posting has been called ridiculous by many commenters who consider the warning unnecessary scaremongering, while others claim while it’s unlikely, we can never be too careful.

What do you think?