Edibles and children: Poison center calls rise

If a 3-year-old finds a cookie on the table, chances are they are going to eat it. Even if it is made with marijuana or THC, CBD, or other components of cannabis. As more states have legalized the use of marijuana and an ever-widening range of derivative products, it’s not surprising that more children are being exposed — including by eating marijuana edibles. A research brief published in the journal Pediatrics found that between 2017 and 2019, there were 4,172 calls to regional poison control centers about exposures to cannabis in babies and children through age 9. About half of the calls were related to edibles. The frequency of these calls, and the percentage related to edibles, went up over the two-year period. Not surprisingly, the exposures were about twice as common in states where marijuana use is legal as in those where it is not. More calls about edibles involving younger children The most common age group involved was 3- to 5-year-olds, which makes sense: this is the age where they are old enough for parents to take their eyes off them for a minute or two, but not old enough to understand why they shouldn’t eat that brownie, gummy bear, or piece of chocolate. Thankfully, the effects of these exposures were mostly minor — but in 15% they were moderate, and in 1.4% they were severe. In rare cases, significant ingestion can lead to trouble breathing or even coma. That’s the problem with edibles: it’s hard to know how much cannabis is in each one, it’s e...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Children's Health Marijuana Parenting Source Type: blogs