Edibles are causing headaches for lawmakers and parents alike.
A new study analyzed calls to poison control from January 2017 to December 2019, and found that more calls were being made from states with legal marijuana than states without.
36.6% of the calls dealt with children eating edibles. The rest mainly involved concentrates, extracts, beverages, and vape juice.
We’ve talked about the dangers of marketing edibles as a candy rip-off, and these calls seem to be a clear correlative effect of this. The packaging is colorful and emulates candy you can buy at a grocery store. Compounding the issue is the extreme level of THC in one gummy or brownie, which is usually more than a recommended dose. Children, however, will see a brownie for what it is, and consume the entire thing.
In a CNN article about the study, there are some recommendations for parents on how to reduce the risk of their children getting their hands on these little treats.
-Don’t purchase anything too candy-like
-Store them securely, locked away from children
-Leave them in their original packaging
And anything else that seems rather obvious.
“Pediatricians believe that — if cannabis is legalized for recreational use — there should be strong regulations requiring edible products be sold in child-resistant packages,” says Dr. Brian Johnston.
“These should be resealable, opaque — even after opening — and contain no more than a single serving. And manufacturers should move away from making products that look like candy, soda or dessert.”
