GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – More children are getting sick from accidentally eating marijuana edibles.
Snack and candy packages may look normal, but it’s what’s causing an increase in children overdosing on edibles containing high levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
ECU Health Medical Center’s Dr. Jason Hack said they’ve seen cases of pediatric THC exposure at ECU Health, primarily through the ingestion of edibles, and it’s something they’re also seeing across the country in increasing numbers.
“There was a study just published in January of 2023 in the pediatrics that looked at the increasing numbers of pediatric THC exposures, and the number one effect was central nervous system alteration,” said Hack.
Just a few symptoms health officials are seeing include depression, becoming comatose and breathing problems as well as vomiting and having trouble walking.
There’s been an increase in calls to the Poison Control Centers in kids five years old and under consuming edibles. There were 207 calls made in 2017 and 3,054 in 2021.
Hack said the issue with many edibles is the packaging and being placed in food products that are sweet.
Solar Cannabis Products director Kyleen Keenan makes and sells edible marijuana products to dispensaries, which she said is highly regulated by the Cannabis Control Commission. She added the…
