More children mistakenly ingest cannabis,
CHEO says
The number of children who have mistakenly ingested edible cannabis has skyrocketed since its legalization,
say medical specialists in Eastern Ontario.
say medical specialists in Eastern Ontario.
En between May and July alone, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) saw an 85% increase in the number of children and youth who went to the emergency room for this reason, compared to the same period in 2019.The number of visits remains "relatively low," says CHEO. But its officials want to prevent the problem from escalating.
Edible cannabis is sold as a candy, cake, or cookie. They are attractive to young children, who do not differentiate between a real treat and this kind of product.
“Some of the companies that sell edible cannabis products present their products almost identically to well-known products making the difference almost impossible for children to tell,” said Dr. Mélanie Béchard, CHEO pediatric emergency physician.
Edible cannabis products have been legal in Canada since October 17, 2019.
Visits by children under 13 who have used cannabis in this form were almost nil a year ago at CHEO. They now represent nearly 30% of cases of people poisoned by its ingestion.
“The solution is simple,” says Dr. Béchard. "Talking to children about the dangers of ingesting cannabis products can help reduce the number of visits by children."
CHEO asks parents and adults to store their cannabis properly, keep it out of the reach of children, keep it in a toddler-proof container, and if possible, in packaging that will not sting. not their curiosity.
Edible cannabis is sold as a candy, cake, or cookie. They are attractive to young children, who do not differentiate between a real treat and this kind of product.
“Some of the companies that sell edible cannabis products present their products almost identically to well-known products making the difference almost impossible for children to tell,” said Dr. Mélanie Béchard, CHEO pediatric emergency physician.
Edible cannabis products have been legal in Canada since October 17, 2019.
Visits by children under 13 who have used cannabis in this form were almost nil a year ago at CHEO. They now represent nearly 30% of cases of people poisoned by its ingestion.
“The solution is simple,” says Dr. Béchard. "Talking to children about the dangers of ingesting cannabis products can help reduce the number of visits by children."
CHEO asks parents and adults to store their cannabis properly, keep it out of the reach of children, keep it in a toddler-proof container, and if possible, in packaging that will not sting. not their curiosity.