Red zone: American children suffer from cannabis intoxication

In some U.S. states, there is growing anxiety about cannabis poisoning among very young children. We are talking about children aged 5 years or less, who are increasingly being taken into care, not because they have smoked or breathed in their parents’ smoke, but because they have eaten a cannabis product.

The cases of poisoning have exceeded the alert line in the United States. The figures speak for themselves, there were 200 accidents in the year 2017, but more than 3,000 poisonings in 2021. An increase of over 1,300% in four years. This leads to cases of vomiting, nervous system depression and even some cases of coma among the 150 children admitted to intensive care.

Fortunately, no deaths were reported, but before a very serious accident occurs, the authors of this study recommend improving prevention. Firstly, by imposing stricter rules on manufacturers to clearly distinguish the products on the packaging.
But it is also to raise the awareness of parents and invite them to store these products elsewhere than in cupboards usually dedicated to food and especially out of reach of children. Nine out of 10 poisonings occur in the family home.

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David Smadja

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Red zone: American children suffer from cannabis intoxication

Home » Red zone: American children suffer from cannabis intoxication

The number of young children accidentally taking cannabis edibles has increased significantly in recent years in the United States, where recreational cannabis has become legal in a growing number of states. In some U.S. states, there is growing anxiety about cannabis poisoning among very young children. We are talking about children aged 5 years or less, who are increasingly being taken into care, not because they have smoked or breathed in their parents' smoke, but because they have eaten a cannabis product.

There are 18 American states that accept the recreational use of cannabis, you can find in the stores food made with cannabis: cakes, cookies, candies, and chocolate bars. It is hard to resist for children who, at home, in the kitchen, do not know the difference between more traditional foods. The cases of poisoning have exceeded the alert line in the United States. The figures speak for themselves, there were 200 accidents in the year 2017, but more than 3,000 poisonings in 2021. An increase of over 1,300% in four years. This leads to cases of vomiting, nervous system depression and even some cases of coma among the 150 children admitted to intensive care. Fortunately, no deaths were reported, but before a very serious accident occurs, the authors of this study recommend improving prevention. Firstly, by imposing stricter rules on manufacturers to clearly distinguish the products on the packaging. But it is also to raise the awareness of parents and invite them to store these products elsewhere than in cupboards usually dedicated to food and especially out of reach of children. Nine out of 10 poisonings occur in the family home.