What is the ruling on distributing sweets—which are rumored to cause cancer due to colorings and preservatives—with the intention of bringing joy to a Muslim, and what should be done with the quantity of them that is already on hand?

Introducing joy into the heart of a Muslim is a virtue, and there are narrations encouraging it in the Sunnah (definition). The presence of preservatives and colorants in sweets does not prohibit their consumption unless their harm is proven, and this is not proven merely by being informed of their presence. These sweets remain permissible in principle, so it is permissible to benefit from them and to give them as gifts. For those who wish to avoid doubts, natural types can be relied upon.