Parent Information on Edibles
Edible Examples
What are Edibles?
Edibles are marijuana (or another synthetic drug) infused product that often look like everyday regular treats or sweets that are appealing to children and teens. Some popular forms of marijuana infused products include:
- Gummy candies
- Lollipops
- Chocolate
- Baked goods
- Snack foods
- Pop/Lemonade
- Candy
- Cereal
- Breakfast snacks
These edibles typically appear to look like their original “treat” product with a simple change in their title to indicate the use of marijuana.
How to keep edibles out of the hands of kids?
- Store them in a safe and out of reach place. If edibles are in your home, store them in the same area where you would store medication, away from children. Also they should be stored in their original packaging, labeled with what they are.
- Use with caution. Never consume while in front of children. This could potentially cause an increased temptation for children. Consuming while caring for children can cause impairments to your judgment. Never use edibles while operating a vehicle.
- Avoid buying edibles that come in packaging that look like real candies.
- Talk to family members, caregivers and friends. Make sure those who help care for your children. Be sure that if they are being used in a home your child visits that they are kept in a safe and secure place.
- Educate your children on what edibles might look like. Also, teach them to not eat items they find lying around without asking an adult first.
Effects of marijuana on children and teens
One edible can contain several times above the amount recommended for an adult dose. If a child or teen consumes an entire edible the chances of overdosing are high. Some of the adverse effects for children and teens include:
- Intoxication
- Altered concentration
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Paranoia
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Slurred Speech
- Poor coordination
- Difficulty breathing
- Excessive sleeping
- Heart problems
What to do if my child accidentally eats an edible?
- Try to find out what and how much they ate. Call poison control at 1800-222-1222 for further directions.
- If your child is having severe or life threatening symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Delayed impacts:
Edible marijuana takes longer for your system to absorb. If one smokes marijuana, the effects occur within seconds. When someone consumes marijuana it may take 30-60 minutes for the effects to begin to be noticeable, with the peak onset of 3 to 4 hours after ingestion. For someone experimenting with edibles, they may accidentally overdose if the effects of “getting high” are not noticed quickly enough.
The incident of accidental exposure of marijuana among children is on the rise. In 2020, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported more than 3,000 exposures to edible marijuana products involving children in the United States ages 12 and under. Most of these exposures were in kids 5 years old or younger.
Parent/Community Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/what-we-know.html
http://www.hollycommunitycoalition.com/
https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/index.htm
https://www.oakgov.com/health/information/Pages/Marijuana.aspx
https://www.oakgov.com/health/information/Pages/Synthetic-Marijuana.aspx