Damilola Olakanmi: 23-yr-old Nigerian student dies after eating Cannabis Sweet

A 23-year-old law student at the University of Hertfordshire is dead.

Damilola Olakanmi, died after eating a suspected cannabis sweet bought through a messaging app in East London, MyLondon reports.

The woman immediately fell ill after eating them on Tuesday, March 29. Ms Olakamni was rushed to an East London hospital for treatment, alongside her friend who had also fallen ill. Sadly she died in hospital on April 2. Her friend has since been discharged.

Her mum, Wumi, held a vigil next to her bed until she passed away, the Evening Standard reported. A friend told the paper: “Wumi has lost her only child – she has nothing now. They had to hold her up because she broke down every time a friend came to the house to give support.

“It’s a tragic warning to all young people about how they live their lives. They should resist drugs. Damilola was a promising young woman who should be looking forward to her future and having children of her own. She was studying law.”

Dunni, a relative, told the Evening Standard: “Damilola was a sweet, quiet girl – a bit of an introvert. Her mother looked up to her. She was very kind and loved looking after children and wanted to please everyone.

“The family will never come to terms with this. We need to know what happened. Her mother is not young any more. We don’t want Damilola’s memory to be just like that. You want her to be remembered as the girl who asked everyone, ‘Are you okay and do you want anything?’.”

A man was arrested in connection with the incident on April 1 and subsequently charged with possession with intent to supply Class B synthetic cannabinoid, being concerned in the supply of a synthetic cannabinoid, and possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance. The force alleged he was found in possession of a large quantity of cash and what were believed to be edible cannabis products.

Officers have issued a warning over the sweets and said a number have been recovered and are being tested. The Met said the case may be linked to another incident in March where a woman was taken to hospital after eating a cannabis sweet in Tower Hamlets. She has since been discharged but an inquiry is underway to establish whether the sweet was from the same batch involved in the Ilford death.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, of the Met’s East Area Basic Command Unit, said: “I must warn the public against taking any illegal substances, including those packaged in the form of cannabis sweets. Please do not buy or consume these products. They are illegal and, because of the child-friendly packaging, they can pose a risk of accidental consumption.

“The particular batch of sweets were contained in packaging featuring Trrlli Peachie O’s branding. It has not been confirmed at this stage where the sweets were manufactured. Drug dealers harm communities and risk the safety of individuals. We will take positive action to target those engaged in this activity as well as those found in possession of these substances