Poison Center Warns Children Increasingly Exposed To Marijuana Products

[TTL News 317]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Upstate New York Poison Center has seen a drastic increase so far this year in the number of calls to their poison center for children and teens who have been exposed to marijuana products (i.e. edibles, the dried plant). The highest number of calls have been for marijuana edibles.

According to a release from the organization, their data shows  calls have nearly tripled for children and teens under 19 years old who ingested these so called “Cannabis Candies” from January through May this year over the same time frame last year. The majority of these calls were for kids 5 and under.

“We worry about young children and the frightening reaction they can have to marijuana," says Dr. Christine Stork, clinical director of the Upstate New York Poison Center. "These edibles can come in bright colored packaging that look just like popular candy products. Kids can’t always tell the difference, especially for those who don’t read yet." 

“With the state legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use and coming up with a plan for future retail sales options, we are preparing to handle an even further influx of calls in the coming years.”

Many edibles look and taste just like candy, cookies and brownies. One “pot gummy” can be a dose, and many times people don’t stop at one, leading to an easy overdose, especially in children. Edible products have a higher concentration of marijuana. Because of a child’s smaller size and weight, symptoms can be more severe and usually require a trip to a healthcare facility.

Marijuana use in children can cause low blood pressure, severe tiredness, trouble breathing, even coma.

The center compared data from 2011- 2020 for children six and under who swallowed marijuana (oils, the plant, edibles) and found a sharp increase starting in 2016 and an increase in more children being admitted to a healthcare facility.

Another rising concern for the poison center, is the introduction of the Delta-8 THC products which were recently banned in New York State. They can also cause severe problems, particularly in children.

The Upstate New York Poison Centeris staffed by trained Registered Nurses and Pharmacists who have completed training on how to handle a poisoning call for marijuana and Delta-8 THC and when to send someone to a healthcare
facility.

The center urges that if you are over 21 and choose to use these any of these products you:
1. Keep them up, away, and out of sight of children
2. Save our number 1-800-222-1222, just in case
3. If you suspect a child has swallowed any form of marijuana, call us. Symptoms/reactions sometimes are delayed.

To learn more about the center, visit their website.

[KarenK 384]

No way!  Making it legal and kids are suddenly being exposed?  I'm sure there is shock and awe out there somewhere.  🙄

[Zapp Brannigan 140]

You can definitely taste the difference with an edible compared to a regular whatever it may be. This also falls back on the parents to keep your shit out of reach of kids. 

[MsKreed 1,203]

The rise on that graph does not seem to correlate with legalization. The jump started in 2016 (2 years after medical was legalized) and ends before recreational became legal.

Weird....it's almost like it might correspond with NYS criminal reform laws that released a huge numbers of inmates in 2016 and again in early 2020. I'm sure that's just a coincidence though.