Physicians in New Brunswick are cautioning the public about health risks associated with consuming cannabis.
The New Brunswick Medical Society (NBMS) has relaunched a public education campaign called “Legal, Not Safe.”
It comes as cannabis edibles, extracts and topicals officially became legal in Canada on Thursday.
Dr. Chris Goodyear, president of the NBMS, said one of their three key messages involves safe storage of edibles.
“Keeping them preferentially locked away somewhere where children and/or pets cannot easily access them,” said Goodyear. “There can be extremely harmful effects ingesting these products in children and in pets.”
Goodyear said physicians are also concerned about the mixture of cannabis products with alcohol.
There is some research which shows ingestion of edibles, along with the consumption of alcohol, can lead to increased levels of panic, anxiety, and paranoia, he said.
Physicians caution public about edible cannabis: https://t.co/wmO5q5lPjT
— NBMS/SMNB (@nb_docs) October 16, 2019
Goodyear said the third “prong” of their education campaign related to overconsumption of edibles.
He said it takes longer to feel the effects of cannabis when it is ingested compared to when it is inhaled.
“People who are not familiar with how to take these products can ingest them, wait a certain period of time and feel that they’re not getting any effect of the drug and start to take more of the dose,” Goodyear said.
Goodyear notes it can take up to two hours to feel the effects of cannabis edibles and the full effects may not be felt for up to four hours. Side effects of cannabis edibles can last up to 12 hours, he said.
Even though the sale and production of edibles, extracts and topicals are now legal, the products are not expected on the retail market until at least mid-December.
The “Legal, Not Safe” campaign was originally launched by the medical society in 2018 ahead of the legalization of recreational cannabis.
Goodyear said they will be sharing information through a website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
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