Cannabis Edibles Are Increasingly Responsible for Pediatric Poison Center Calls

More states are legalizing cannabis, including edible products, but the impact on unintentional ingestions by children remains unknown. Researchers used National Poison Data System data from 2017 to 2019 to quantify cannabis exposures in children aged 0 to 9 years.

Among 4172 total cannabis exposures, 46% involved edibles (e.g., gummies). Of the edible exposures, 96% were unintentional, 50% occurred in children aged 3 to 5 years, and 63% had minor or no medical consequences. Between 2017 and 2019, the proportion of poison center calls involving edible exposures increased significantly from 12% to 56%, while the corresponding proportion of non-edible exposures rose from 29% to 40%. In 2019, the proportion of poison center calls due to edible …