Kids under 6 accidentally eating cannabis edibles increasing
The number of incidents in which children younger than 6 accidentally ate edible cannabis products rose to 3,054 in 2021, up from 207 in 2017 — a 1,375 percent increase, according to a study of national poison control data in the journal Pediatrics. The total number of cases over the five years was 7,043. The cases are a small but quickly growing portion of the more than 850,000 annual poison exposures in this age group tracked by the National Poison Data System (NPDS). Several factors probably have contributed to the increase: Edible cannabis products come in child-appealing forms, such as colorful gummy candies or tasty desserts; are seldom contained in child-resistant packaging; and are increasingly available as more states legalize recreational marijuana.
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