PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The number of kids needing medical attention after consuming marijuana edibles has spiked both in the Valley and nationwide in recent years.
“It is a big issue. You never want to have a kid come into the emergency room unnecessarily, especially when it comes with something like this where it’s completely avoidable,” said Dr. Gary Kirkilas.
Dr. Kirkilas is a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and says symptoms of a child ingesting marijuana can range from altered consciousness to, in rarer cases, effects on vitals like heart rate or blood pressure.
“When you have edibles, which comes along with legalization, it’s very, very easy for kids to get themselves in too deep,” he said.
Between 2018 and 2020, Banner’s Poison and Drug Information Center had an average of 91 reports of kids 12 and under in Maricopa County with marijuana exposure. Since 2021, the year legal recreational marijuana sales in Arizona started, there have been an average of 179 exposures for kids in that age range.
There’s also been a spike in kids under 12 needing medical treatment, going from an average of 73 a year from 2018 to 2020 to 130 per year since 2021.
“Within our industry, we will continue to be steadfast on consumer safety, product safety, and testing. To ensure that everything that hits the public is transparent,” Brian Warde, with the Arizona Dispensaries Association, said.
Warde serves as a government affairs specialist for ADA, which advocates for the cannabis industry and helped develop policies such as banning advertising edibles towards kids and requiring child-proof packaging after sales.
“You’re seeing things that are coming in that are labeled with THC or THC guidelines that don’t have an age gate, don’t have child protective, are advertising towards children,” explained Warde.
Warde believes part of the problem that is leading to more kids needing medical attention from marijuana comes from the federal farm bill. Last spring, Attorney General Kris Mayes said a “loophole” in the bill has allowed some processors to turn CBD into a type of THC that can get adults and kids high.
“I think when you have an ancillary or illicit business that is selling THC product, it becomes very confusing for consumers. It becomes very confusing to the public and legislatively,” said Warde.
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