National Poison Prevention Week 2024: The Dangers of THC

National Poison Prevention Week 2024: The Dangers of THC

By: Oneith Cadiz, MD, director of Injury Free Coalition for Kids Miami, Hector Chavez, MD, pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Holtz Children’s Hospital, and Jeffrey Bernstein, MD, emergency medicine and toxicology specialist at Poison Control Center at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center

This National Poison Prevention Week, we want to educate you on the dangers of THC exposure to children. THC is tetrahydrocannabinol: the principal psychoactive component of cannabis. It can most commonly be found in edibles and marijuana products used for medicinal purposes. Over the last two decades, we have seen a drastic increase in the amount of THC consumption and overdose cases among pediatric patients.

Last year, Florida Poison Control Centers received 792 calls regarding cannabinoid exposure. So far this year, they’ve taken 239 calls, with 102 of those specifically being about edibles. Of these reported cases, 76 percent occurred in kids and teens. The largest increase in calls compared to 2023 has been in teens, although the greatest risk of serious harm is in children under 5 years old.

Here’s what you should know about THC, the dangers it poses to children, and how to protect your kids from dangerous exposure.

1. How to properly store your THC items and edibles:

We suggest parents keep all family members’ medications and drugs out of reach and out of sight of children. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements, and even natural or herbal formulations, like those derived from marijuana.

Regardless of whether products are legal or not, any products containing THC and high potency hemp extracts (delta 8, THC-0) should be carefully secured. Depending on the volume of medicine stored in the home, families may choose to use an upper cabinet secured with a child-resistant lock, a lock box, or an actual safe. Never assume kids don’t know where medicine or drugs are kept.

2. Percentage of THC in commonly found items:

Edibles can contain 5 to 10 milligrams of THC per serving, vapes can contain 65 to 90 percent THC, and marijuana contains 10 to 30 percent THC. For comparison, a THC dose of a leaf marijuana cigarette, or joint in 1970, was 10 milligrams. The same amount of marijuana today contains 150 to 200 milligrams per joint. Any substance of any kind can cause damage to children.

 3. Signs your child has been exposed to THC:

Recognizing a THC overdose is not easy. Symptoms associated with edibles can often develop up to an hour after ingestion, and can range from sleepiness and confusion, to agitation and hallucinations, depending on the dose. Sometimes families only learn their child ate an edible when their toxicology tests come back from the hospital’s lab.

Treatment generally involves supportive care while the active chemical compounds break down and are excreted. There is no antidote specific to cannabinoids, so avoiding exposure is important. Fortunately, children with a single exposure that receive necessary supportive care should not suffer any long-term consequences.

4. What to do if your child has been exposed:

If you think your child might have ingested THC, call the Poison Help Line at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center at 1-800-222-1222 as soon as the exposure is discovered or suspected. The poison specialist (a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) will advise the family if the child needs medical care depending on their age, weight, and type and amount of product consumed.

If your child is unconscious or having difficulty breathing, call 911 or locate your closest UHealth Jackson’s Children Care emergency department by visiting Pediatrics.JacksonHealth.org