Keeping Kids Safe Around Cannabis
National Poison Prevention Week (NPPE) is celebrated the third week of March every year and we continue to raise awareness of poison prevention and safety. The theme for 2024 is “Poison Prevention: Empowering Canada for a Safer Tomorrow.”
Each year in Canada, over 1500 people lose their lives and nearly 8000 are hospitalized due to unintentional poisoning from medications, cleaners, cannabis products and many other household items. This National Poison Prevention Week encourages Canadians to take careful steps to keep their loved ones safe by learning how to store potential poisons, as well as what to do in case a poisoning occurs. In 2020, Canada’s poison centres managed 215,589 cases; more than one-third involved a child aged 5 or under.
In 2023, Health Canada launched a new toll-free number, 1844-POISON-X or 1-844-764-7669, to make it easier for people in Canada to access critical medical advice for poisoning. Program this number into your phone! It is answered by nurses, pharmacists and doctors who have advanced training and expertise in poison information.
Health Canada is sounding the alarm regarding accidental ingestion of “copycat” edible cannabis products causing serious harm to children. Illegal cannabis products, packaged to look like popular brands of candy, snacks and other food products, contain significantly more THC than federal regulation allows. Any consumption of these products by children can cause serious harm. Young children are in greater danger of cannabis poisoning because of their smaller body sizes and differences in metabolism. Illegal products that lack product safety controls remain available for purchase. Canadian regulations limit THC in cannabis products and require products to be sold in child-resistant packaging with plain and standardized labels, reducing the appeal to children. Any illegal edible cannabis products that have colourful, fancy packaging with catchy names are illegal under the Federal Cannabis Act and Regulations.
Symptoms of cannabis poisoning range from mild to severe, showing up hours after a product is eaten, and lasting up to 12 hours. To reduce potential cannabis poisoning in children:
- Purchase products from authorized provincial or territorial sellers only. Legal edible cannabis products contain no more than 10 mg of THC and are sold in plain, child-resistant packages.
- Store cannabis products in a labelled, locked box, away from food and drinks and out of children’s reach.
- Know the symptoms: anxiety, confusion, sleepiness, lack of coordination, slurred speech, vomiting, slowed or difficulty breathing, seizures and unconsciousness.
- Take your child to an emergency department or call 9-1-1 if you suspect they have ingested cannabis or show symptoms.
For more information:
Government of Canada -https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2023/03/canada-launches-new-toll-free-1-844-poison-x-number-for-poison-centres.html
Middlesex-London Health Unit – www.healthunit.com/poison-safety#cannabis-edibles
Ontario Poison Centre – www.ontariopoisoncentre.ca/for-families/cannabis-and-kids/
Health Canada’s Public Advisory
Health Canada’s Brochure – www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-health-products/brochure-help-prevent-cannabis-poisoning-children.html
Gerry Bryan RN, PHN for the Middlesex-London Health Unit
