Photo: www.iwkpoisoncentre.ca
It’s Poison Prevention Week, and this year, awareness is being raised on the risks edible cannabis and liquid nicotine products pose for children.
While they may be fun for adults, these products can be toxic to children if they consume any.
Laurie Mosher with the IWK Regional Poison Centre in Halifax says cannabis poisoning is becoming more common.
“We’ve noticed since 2015 our calls related to cannabis have tripled, and one of the big areas which has increased is exposure to cannabis edibles,” she said in an interview.
Mosher says this is because edibles are not only becoming more popular for adults, but are resembling yummy treats such as cookies or candy.
“Cannabis food products, or edibles, they look like food. essentially they are food with cannabis added into it, so its very easy to mistake cannabis products for food,” she said.
“Say your had a plate of homemade cannabis brownies that was on the counter. It would be very appealing to a young child, and it would be extremely easy for them to eat a toxic amount.”
The same goes for liquid nicotine products like vapes and Juuls, which often have flavours that are appealing to young children.
Cannabis edibles aren’t legal yet in Canada, but will be this October. Mosher says she expects calls related to edibles to only increase.
Mosher says to it’s important to clearly label your products and keep them locked up, not just out of reach. She suggests buying a lock-box or even a tool box.
The IWK is also urging people not to use cannabis in front of children, and to clean up after yourself so they can’t get into it.
If you suspect a child has ingested cannabis or nicotine, do not try to deal with it at home. Bring them to the emergency department right away.
