Cannabis edibles share a stark resemblance with regular food items. Take cannabis candies as an example. You cannot identify cannabis candies from other candies until you taste it. And the bad news is if marijuana edibles are lying around aimlessly in your house, your child might just grab one thinking it is a regular candy.
With edible products becoming more popular during the pandemic, kids are more prone to find them. You might take all the precautions. For instance, get a medical marijuana card in Rochester or some different city, purchase high-quality edibles, sanitize the box before opening it, and carefully place them in a jar. However, you might ignore one tiny thing – cannabis edibles come in the form of cookies, candies, and brownies. The shape size and color are very similar to regular edibles and your child is at the risk of exposure.
So, you should prepare and learn everything about the risks, just-in-case your kid swallows a cannabis edible. After all, those with kids know that children can cause trouble. And with states legalizing cannabis, the risk of your kid finding cannabis edibles increases. The reason why we will help you learn how to deal with your child if he or she accidentally eats a cannabis-induced edible.
Related: Consumed Too Much Cannabis? Here’s What You Must Know
Recognize What They have Ingested
First and foremost, look at the jar or container your child has in his possession. Look for the edible type and then see how many of them are missing. Do not panic because when it comes to children panicking will not take you anywhere. Next, take a step back from the situation and try to remember whether the edible is CBD or THC induced. If it is THC induced, you need to take action immediately.
Second, find out how many edibles your child has eaten? It is not a good thing for children to eat an entire brownie or three gummy bears at once. It can be life-threatening because of the side effects of an overdose. Also, bear in mind that edibles take a lot of time to show the psychoactive effects. If you caught your child in the act, they might not react to effects immediately. It might seem like everything is normal until THC kicks in. so, as soon as you determine that they have eaten THC induced edibles, follow the instructions we are about to mention in this post below.
Stay Calm And Do Not Panic
I know it will be really hard for you to stay calm when you see your child eating one of your cannabis-infused edibles. However, keep one thing in mind that until now no one has died after eating a cannabis edible. Panicking will only worsen the situation and instead of focusing on the problem, you will trigger a fatal reaction. To be honest, you need to keep a track of time when your child consumes an edible. You see, THC travels through the body only after it has been digested completely. And the entire process can take up to 2-3 hours. So, as soon as you catch your child eating one of your edibles, look at your watch immediately and track the hours.
Next, take them to their room, tuck them in, and try to stay calm. Give them their favorite toy to play while you handle the situation. Also, make sure that you stay beside them all the time. Even if they fall asleep let them be and do not try to wake them up. The bottom line is that staying calm will help you make the decision faster. If you panic, you won’t think clearly and your child may also start panicking.
Related: Marijuana’s Effect On Our Body
Chalk Out A Plan
This step will help you tackle the situation even more effectively. All you have to do is pen down all the details or memorize them. Find out how many candies or gummy bears your kid has eaten. Then note the amount of THC each candy contained. For instance, your kid ate two candies containing 5mg of THC. that means in total your child ate 10mg of THC. Which, in turn, will intoxicate your child’s body. This also brings me to the next thing I am about to say.
The psychoactive effects will start showing after a few hours. So, take note of all the symptoms. It will help the medical professional deal with the situation later on. Ideally, the symptoms will include lethargy, nausea, lack of concentration, strange behavior, and acting out of balance. As a parent, you will immediately notice any change in your child’s behavior. After you note down all the symptoms, call your doctor, and explain the situation. The doctor will be able to guide you in the best direction. You can also take your child to the hospital or clinic if the symptoms worsen after a certain period of time.
Heed Necessary Advice
The effects will appear after a long period. So, you must think rationally and call poison control for mandatory advice. Take a pen and paper, call them, and note down everything the operator has to say. They might ask you a few questions. So, tell them everything that you have analyzed and noticed so far. More vitally, stay calm while talking to the operator, and then depending on the situation, the poison control official will be able to give you advice. Also, it is quite likely that your child has consumed excessive amounts of THC. In such a case, drive your child to the ER and let medical professionals deal with the situation.
Take Your Child To The Hospital
As mentioned earlier, if your child exhibits irrational behavior and you think the situation is out of control. Immediately, grab all your things and rush to the nearest hospital. We would recommend that you first call the hospital because in these crucial times it is not safe to directly visit the hospital. Some clinics and hospitals operate through the process of telemedicine. So, you can call the concerned authorities and ask for assistance.
The doctor will ask certain questions including your child’s medical history. This is where your notes will come handy. Do not rush, explain everything in detail, and ensure that you do not miss out on the details of any underlying medical condition. Revealing every minute detail will help the doctor at fast and they can work on the treatment plan immediately without asking you to conduct a series of tests.
Also, remember that there is no specific cure for ingesting cannabis edibles. You might have to wait until the intoxication wears off. As long as your child is under medical care, no problems will arise. However, being patient and calm will help you tackle the situation smartly.
Final Thoughts
Many studies show that long term use of THC can impact the brain in the long run. Having a child exposed to such substances is even more dangerous. The reason why state authorities have an age limit for both medical and recreational cannabis use. Even if you buy cannabis with the help of your medical marijuana card in Rochester or the city you reside in, there’s one thing for sure. Your child should not be exposed to any form of cannabis. So, keep your cannabis whether medical or recreational away from the reach and sight of children.
