Fri Jan 6, 2023 – 10:26 am EST
(LifeSiteNews) — The increasing legalization and availability of marijuana across the United States have brought more drug problems: children ingesting “edibles.”
A new study in the journal Pediatrics finds children, specifically kids under six-years-old, are eating marijuana edibles, sweet treats such as brownies or cookies that include the drug. This has led to an increase in hospitalizations from marijuana use among kids.
The January 3 paper reported:
There were 7043 exposures reported during 2017–2021. In 2017, there were 207 reported cases, and in 2021 there were 3054 cases, an increase of 1375.0%. Most exposures (97.7%) occurred in a residential setting. Seventy percent of cases followed to a known outcome were reported to have central nervous system depression. Of all reported cases, 22.7% of patients were admitted to the hospital.
In addition to CNS depression, children also suffered from ataxia or poor muscle movement, confusion, and tachycardia. Tachycardia is rapid beating of the heart. Respiratory, vision, and urinary problems were also reported.
The attractive packaging of the edible drugs is likely causing kids to eat them, according to Dr. Marit Tweet, an emergency medicine physician and the lead author
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