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High school just got a whole new meaning.
A shocking study out of Canada found that adolescent use of cannabis-laced edibles shot up 43% in the year after the country legalized dried weed.
A similar trend is underway south of the border, with US doctors warning about a “quite scary” uptick in young people flooding emergency rooms dazed, confused and totally unaware that those innocent-looking gummies weren’t just candy.
Recreational cannabis use is legal in 24 states and Washington, DC. Getty Images/iStockphoto
The eye-popping findings, published today in JAMA Network Open, come from researchers studying how Canada’s 2018 legalization of dried weed impacted youth consumption — especially when it comes to edibles disguised as kid-friendly snacks.
To find out, the team pored over survey responses from more than 106,000 students in grades seven through 11, collected between 2018 and 2022.
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The results are a serious buzzkill for parental peace of mind.
Legalization was linked to a 26% jump in overall adolescent cannabis use — with edible use soaring 43% and smoking climbing 34%. Even more troubling, co-use of alcohol and cannabis spiked 28% among young people.
Researchers also found that students were less likely to believe that occasional cannabis use can be harmful.
THC treats spark ER surge stateside
“There are no surprises in this study,” Dr. Elise Perlman, a pediatric emergency physician at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York, told The Post.
“It’s nice to see some numbers showing exactly what we’re seeing in the emergency room, which is that legalization of THC products coincides with an increased number of children or adolescents using these products because they have become so common in households,” she added.
In the US, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, but 39 states and DC allow medical use, and 24 states plus the capital have given the green light for recreational use.
Cannabis legalization has led to an increase in youth consumption. AP
That wave of legalization has brought with it a flood of cannabis edibles — often packaged to look like popular brands of cookies, candies and other snacks kids love.
It’s led to a disturbing trend. A 2023 study found more than 7,000 reported cases of accidental ingestion by kids under 5 between 2017 and 2021 — an increase of 1,375%.
Small bodies, big effects
“Kids metabolize the active ingredient of cannabis, THC, much slower than adults,” Perlman explained.
“If a child inadvertently gets into what they think is their Oreos or their Skittles or their Sour Patch Kids, and they eat the whole bag, they’re going to have very serious toxic effects from what they just ate versus an adult might have some effects, but not as bad as a child,” she said.
Kids accidentally ingesting cannabis products can lead to major headaches for their parents. nareekarn – stock.adobe.com
In the ER, Perlman said they’re seeing everything from toddlers to teens — but most often, it’s kids under 5 who end up there after unknowingly ingesting weed-laced snacks.
And figuring out what’s wrong isn’t always easy.
Symptoms of THC ingestion vary widely depending on how much was consumed and the child or adolescent’s age. Perlman said some show no signs at all — while others roll in lethargic, unresponsive or suffering from effects that mimic serious medical illnesses like meningitis or sepsis.
“That’s typically what we are seeing,” Perlman said. “When you don’t know exactly what’s going on, it can lead to very invasive and very extensive workup,” she said.
That can mean lab tests, brain scans, spinal taps and sometimes a trip to the intensive care unit. All of those can be quite scary for families — not to mention expensive.
Cannabis-infused edibles often resemble snacks and treats that are appealing to youth, like Fruit Pebbles cereal. Moment Editorial/Getty Images
Despite pot products being easy to find across the US, awareness about their dangers — and how to safely store them — is “often lacking,” Perlman warned.
Doctors are still piecing together the short- and long-term effects of THC, especially when it comes to kids and teens. But early research is giving experts plenty to worry about.
“Animal models, especially in mice, have shown that chronic use can lead to structural changes of the brain, which is pretty scary,” Perlman said.
“In human models and studies, we’re learning that there could be changes in memory and learning impairments and a decline in IQ over time,” she added.
Cannabis use has also been tied to lower academic performance, as well as higher risks of anxiety, depression and worsening of existing mental health issues.
“There are definitely harms, and there are definitely side effects,” Perlman said. “[This] makes it even more crucial to be a little bit more careful about what we are keeping in our home and what we’re allowing our kids to explore and engage with.”
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