Edible marijuana products and potential risks for pediatric populations

Abstract

Purpose of reviewIn recent years, an increasing number of states have legalized marijuana, also known as cannabis, for recreational use. As marijuana becomes more accessible, adolescent use and accidental pediatric exposures are likely to become broad public health concerns. Edible marijuana products, which are consumable foods or beverages that contain cannabis extract, are particularly enticing to youth, as they come in appealing forms such as candies, cookies, and drinks. The purpose of this review is to provide pediatricians with an overview of the different types and potential dangers associated with edible marijuana products. Recent findingsEdible marijuana products are often indistinguishable in appearance from normal food items and lack the smell and visible smoke associated with inhaled marijuana. Because they are inconspicuous, palatable, and easily accessible, they are increasingly popular among adolescents. Additionally, the packaging of edible baked goods, candies, and drinks is often purposefully very similar to that of mainstream foods, increasing the risk of accidental ingestion by children. An edible marijuana product must be digested before D 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol can enter the bloodstream, so there is a delayed onset of effects when consuming edibles compared with inhaling marijuana. This also predisposes users to accidental overconsumption. SummaryGreater knowledge of edible marijuana product consumption by pediatric populations will allow pediatricians to more effectively help patients and advise caregivers in cases of overconsumption, dependence, or accidental ingestion. It is important for parents, guardians, and educators to be able to successfully identify edible marijuana products and recognize signs of cannabis use.

Trends in cannabis use in New Jersey: Effects of COVID‐19 and cannabis legalization

“…Cannabis is generally considered safe for moderate consumption by adults, but there have been numerous public health concerns regarding its post-legalization use. 5,[8][9][10][11] Although the data are at this time limited, rates of emergency department (ED) visits for cannabis-related complaints have been suggested to increase in parallel to recreational legalization and commercialization. 6,[12][13][14] Some emergent conditions related to cannabis use include respiratory depression, seizures, unintentional and intentional overdose, as well as related conditions such as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.…”

“…Often these edible cannabis products are made to mimic well-known, non-cannabis products, such as gummies and other forms of candy. [5][6][7] Packaging laws have banned look-a-like product packaging but illegal product packaging is still a concern. 7 It has been hypothesized that this type of packaging has contributed to rising cases of unintentional cannabis ingestion.…”

Cannabis: a multifaceted plant with endless potentials

“…One of the main risks associated with Cannabis use is the potential for overconsumption, particularly when consuming edibles or other foods infused with Cannabis ( Lin et al, 2022 ). This is because the effects of ingested Cannabis can take longer to manifest and last longer as compared to when Cannabis is smoked or vaporized, leading users to inadvertently consume more than intended ( Grant and Bélanger, 2017 ).…”

Evolving threat of pediatric ingestions: a discussion of cannabis and button batteries and their implications for children

“…The concentration of THC in edible products has also increased over the last several years, with average concentrations of 4% in 1995 and 12% in 2015 [12,13]. In addition to the risks to children conferred by cannabis being available in edible forms and at high concentrations, some cannabis products are purposely packaged and labeled to mimic non-THC food items that children are familiar with, which further increases the risk of accidental overdose [10,11,14,15]. Studies have found that most poison control calls and hospital visits for cannabis intoxication in children are from edible products, with the vast majority of products being from the child's own home [9,[16][17][18][19][20][21].…”