Health Spotlight | Kids and cannabis: A deadly combination
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As of Nov. 1, 24 states and Washington, DC, have legalized recreational use of marijuana.
In just a few days, voters in several more states will decide on whether or not to legalize marijuana.
As cannabis use becomes legal and more widespread, so does the number of children who are hurt by ingesting cannabis-infused products.
Whether it is legal or illegal, whether you vote yes or no, this is a warning all parents should hear.
This year, Maine set a new record for the most children accidently eating cannabis!
An Iowa dad is charged after his four-year-old ate his THC bar.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says marijuana products that are designed to look and taste like ordinary food or candy make them highly attractive and dangerous to children.
The number of children sent to the ER for marijuana poisoning has increased by over 1,000% in just five years, and pediatricians warn anything infused with THC can be harmful to children.
“They can have dizziness, they can hallucinate, have high heart rate, slurred speech, breathing problems, so really scary symptoms,” said Dr. Dominic Lucia, MD, emergency medicine at Baylor Scott & White Health.
The active ingredient in marijuana is THC. This is the chemical that causes you to feel “high.”
It poses both short and long-term dangers for children including problems with nerve connections that can affect memory, learning, and may.
It can also cause mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. As well as leading to a higher risk of substance use later in life.
So, it’s important, if you think your child ate or drank THC to get help immediately.
“They need to be evaluated, and often supportive care can be given,” Lucia said.
Unlike smoking, which produces immediate effects, THC edibles can take 30 minutes to an hour to kick in and up to three or four hours to reach their full potency.
The intensity of the effects varies depending on your child’s size, just as medications can affect people differently.
If you think your child may have consumed THC, call the Poison Control Center hotline at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.