Call first, then watch the child
Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 the moment you learn a child ate cannabis. The line is free and open 24 hours. Call 911 if the child will not wake up, has a seizure, or has trouble breathing.
first aid for kids who ate cannabis
Do not make the child throw up unless a medical professional tells you to. Do not give food or drink to a child who is hard to wake.
what to do if kids ingest cannabis
What THC does to a small body
Edibles move through the stomach at a slow pace. Symptoms start 30 to 60 minutes after a child eats a gummy, brownie, chocolate, or cookie. The dose keeps building for 2 to 4 hours. A child can look fine at first and get worse after that.
what to do if kids ingest cannabis
Children weigh less than adults. A 10 mg THC gummy is a full adult dose. That is 5 to 10 times the amount a small child handles well. A 30 pound child who eats two gummies has taken a large dose for their size.
Children Eating Cannabis: How to Prevent Accidental Exposure
Symptoms parents report
- Sleepiness, trouble staying awake, floppy arms and legs
- Unsteady walk and trouble standing
- Vomiting
- Fast heart rate
- Wide pupils
- Confusion, agitation, or crying that does not stop
- Low body temperature
- In large doses: slowed breathing, seizures, coma
Effects peak at 2 to 4 hours and fade over 6 to 12 hours. Some children stay drowsy for a full day.
What the numbers show
Data from America's Poison Centers show exposure calls for children age 6 and younger rose from 207 in 2017 to 3,054 in 2021. Edibles were the main source. About 1 in 5 of those children went to a hospital. About 8 percent needed intensive care. Most children recovered with fluids and observation. Severe outcomes are uncommon, but they happen.
What to have ready when you call
- The child's age and weight
- The product name and milligrams of THC per piece
- How many pieces the child ate, and when
- The package, or a photo of the label
- A list of symptoms and the time each one started
If you do not know the dose, say so. The specialist can still give guidance.
At the hospital
Care is supportive. There is no antidote for THC. Staff watch heart rate, breathing, and oxygen levels. IV fluids treat dehydration from vomiting. A urine test can show THC, but it does not measure how impaired the child is.
Storage rules that work
- Keep edibles in the original child-resistant package
- Store them in a locked box, not a drawer or a purse
- Keep them above 4 feet and behind a closed door
- Never put them in a candy dish, a fridge drawer, or a snack bin
- Count the pieces before and after use
- Treat full-spectrum CBD the same way as THC products
Why lab tests matter for CBD buyers
CBD labels are not always accurate. Some products sold as CBD contain THC. Independent lab reports list THC per bottle or per dropper. A tincture with 5 mg of THC per dropper can add up fast for a small child. Store CBD and THC products in the same locked spot. Ask the seller for a batch lab report before you buy.