Cannabis edibles pose a growing danger to young kids. An ER doctor explains what to know

Young children explore the world by touching, tasting and putting things in their mouths. That curiosity can become dangerous when something that looks like an ordinary candy or cookie contains cannabis.

In the United States, accidental ingestions of recreational drugs have surged by more than 3,300% among children younger than 6 over a 25-year period, according to a recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health . Cannabis products, particularly edibles, accounted for much of the increase.

As legalization makes more edibles and other cannabis products available, young children are more likely to find and consume them in their own homes.

To help us understand the findings and what parents and guardians should know about edibles and other recreational drugs in the home, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner and is the mother of two young children.

CNN: What did this study find about accidental drug ingestions among young children?

Dr. Leana Wen: Researchers analyzed reports to US poison centers between 2000 and 2024 that involved accidental ingestion of recreational drugs by children younger than 6. The team identified more than 41,000 ingestions over this period. The rate increased by more than 3,300% during this time, from about one ingestion per 100,000 children in 2000 to nearly 36 per 100,000 in 2024.

Cannabinoids accounted for nearly 85% of the ingestions. Stimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine, accounted for about 8%; psychedelics, including psilocybin, 3.5%; opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, about 3%; and dissociative drugs, including ketamine, less than 1%.

Sarah Pender/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Cannabis products alone accounted for 77% of all ingestions, and edibles accounted for nearly half of these. The rate of edible cannabis ingestion rose particularly steeply beginning in 2013, when the first such ingestion was identified in this dataset.

These exposures had serious consequences. About 32% of children were hospitalized, including 12% who were admitted to a critical care unit. Five percent experienced what poison centers classify as a major effect, meaning life-threatening symptoms or significant disability. Six children died.

CNN: Why have accidental ingestions of cannabis edibles increased so dramatically?

Wen: The most likely factor is increased availability. A vast majority of states have legalized medical marijuana use, and more than 20 have legalized recreational use in adults. In 2024, 61.5 million American adults, which is nearly 1 in 4, used marijuana. This means that many homes contain cannabis products.

Edibles pose a particular problem for young children because, unlike smoked or vaped products, they can look very similar to foods kids recognize. Cannabis is often infused into gummies, chocolates, cookies and other foods. A 2-year-old who finds a colorful gummy or chocolate brownie would not understand that it contains a potentially dangerous drug.

The age distribution in this study reflects normal childhood development. Nearly half of the ingestions occurred in 1- and 2-year-olds. Curious toddlers are mobile and explore their surroundings by putting things in their mouths.

These exposures also are overwhelmingly occurring where children live and spend time. Ninety-six percent of the incidents happened in a home. That means prevention must focus on how these products are packaged and marketed, and then how they are used and stored at home.

CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to a developmental neuroscientist studying marijuana use during pregnancy and its effects on a developing child’s brain. Find out what the studies show about babies exposed to cannabis in utero and the long-term impacts that last into young adulthood. See the full report on CNN's "Dr Sanjay Gupta Reports," airing Sunday.

CNN: What happens when a young child ingests cannabis?

Wen: The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. In young children, THC intoxication can cause profound sleepiness, confusion, impaired coordination, vomiting and changes in heart rate. More severe poisoning can result in slowed breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness and coma.

A major concern is that a dose intended for an adult can be very large relative to a young child’s body weight. THC-laced edibles can also contain multiple servings in one package. A child who thinks the product is candy could eat several pieces before an adult realizes what happened.

Symptoms from edibles can be delayed because the THC has to pass through the digestive system. That creates a potential barrier to diagnosis because a caregiver might not connect a child’s sudden sleepiness or altered behavior with something they ate hours earlier.

In this study, cannabis edibles were associated with nearly 5,000 hospital admissions. Cannabinoid ingestions were less likely to cause major effects than several other drug categories, but they were so much more common that they accounted for a substantial number of serious poisonings.

ProfessionalStudioImages/iStockphoto/Getty Images

‘Scromiting,’ a bizarre condition linked to chronic marijuana use, is on the rise

CNN: Are other recreational drugs even more dangerous to young children?

Wen: Yes. This is an important distinction between how frequently children encounter a drug and how dangerous an individual exposure can be.

Opioids represented less than 3% of the ingestions in the study, but more than 27% of opioid ingestions resulted in major negative effects and nearly 30% led to critical care admission. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be mixed in unknowingly with other drugs, was especially dangerous. Compared with all the other substances studied, fentanyl ingestion was more than seven times as likely to result in a major effect and more than three times as likely to result in critical care admission. Four of the six deaths were attributed to fentanyl.

Stimulants were also associated with severe outcomes. Nearly 24% of stimulant ingestions resulted in critical care admission. Two of the deaths involved cocaine.

Another trend parents should know about involves psychedelics . The rate of psychedelic ingestion increased more than eightfold from 2018 to 2024, driven largely by psilocybin and related mushroom products. Some processed mushroom products are sold as gummies and chocolates, creating the same concern that a child could mistake them for regular food.

MStudioImages/iStockphoto/Getty Images/File

Marijuana may cause chromosomal defects in human egg cells, study finds

CNN: What should parents do if they think their child has swallowed an edible or another drug?

Wen: The most important thing is to not wait to see whether symptoms develop. In the US, parents should call the poison control helpline the moment they suspect ingestion, at 800-222-1222. Poison specialists are available 24/7 and will help family members assess what and how much the child consumed and whether the child needs an emergency evaluation.

Do not try to force the child to throw up or try a home remedy. If possible, find and keep the package so that poison specialists and medical professionals can determine the substance, concentration and amount the child could have consumed.

Of course, be sure to call 911 immediately if the child is unconscious or cannot be awakened, is having difficulty breathing, has a seizure, or is experiencing another life-threatening symptom.

CNN: How should parents store edibles and other recreational drugs?

Wen: Treat them the way you would medications , alcohol or other potentially dangerous substances. Keep them in their original packaging and store them in a locked location that children cannot see or reach.

Putting something on a high shelf is not sufficient. Young children climb, and older children can reach places parents assume are inaccessible. This data covered younger children, but edibles aren’t safe for older children either. Don’t leave these products in purses, backpacks, bedside tables, kitchen cabinets or other places children can access. Don’t transfer THC gummies or other edibles into an everyday candy bag or food container.

These precautions should apply anywhere children spend time, including the homes of babysitters, grandparents, neighbors, and other family members and friends. If you don’t have children but are expecting visiting kids at any point, you should secure all recreational drugs, as you would prescription medications.

Olena Ruban/Moment RF/Getty Images

The marijuana of my youth is long gone. I wish someone had told me

CNN: Is there anything else parents should keep in mind about preventing these poisonings?

Wen: Adults should avoid consuming edibles in front of young children. Toddlers learn by imitation. Watching a parent eat what looks like a piece of candy can make the product seem appealing. All it takes is for a parent to step away for a minute for the child to consume something that could be toxic to them.

Parents should also keep in mind that recreational drugs are just one of many potential sources of poisoning in the home. Common hazards include prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, cleaning and laundry products, cosmetics, pesticides, automotive fluids, and batteries. Parents should keep these products locked away and use safety latches on cabinets. Preventing poisonings and seeking help promptly if they are suspected are key to protecting children.

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.

幼儿通过触摸、品尝和把东西放进嘴里来探索世界。当一些看起来像普通糖果或饼干的东西里含有大麻时，这种好奇心就可能变得危险。

根据发表在《BMC公共卫生》杂志上的一项最新研究，在美国，25年间，6岁以下儿童意外摄入娱乐性药物的案例激增超过3300%。其中，大麻制品，尤其是食用大麻制品，是造成这一增长的主要原因。

随着合法化使得更多食用大麻产品和其他大麻制品上市，年幼的孩子更有可能在家中找到并食用这些产品。

为了帮助我们理解研究结果，以及家长和监护人应该了解哪些关于家中存放食用大麻制品和其他娱乐性药物的信息，我采访了CNN健康专家莉娜·温博士。温博士是乔治·华盛顿大学的急诊医生和临床副教授。她曾担任巴尔的摩市卫生局局长，也是两个孩子的母亲。

CNN：这项研究对幼儿意外摄入药物的情况发现了什么？

莉娜·温博士：研究人员分析了2000年至2024年间美国中毒控制中心收到的关于6岁以下儿童意外摄入娱乐性药物的报告。研究团队在此期间发现了超过41000例摄入案例。这一比例在此期间增长了3300%以上，从2000年的每10万名儿童中约1例增加到2024年的每10万名儿童中近36例。

大麻素占摄入量的近 85%。兴奋剂（包括可卡因和甲基苯丙胺）约占 8%；迷幻剂（包括裸盖菇素）占 3.5%；阿片类药物（包括芬太尼和海洛因）约占 3%；分离性药物（包括氯胺酮）不到 1%。

Sarah Pender/iStockphoto/Getty Images

仅大麻制品就占所有摄入量的77%，其中食用大麻制品又占了近一半。食用大麻制品的摄入率自2013年起急剧上升，该年也是本数据集记录到首例此类摄入案例的年份。

这些暴露事件造成了严重后果。约32%的儿童住院治疗，其中12%被送入重症监护室。5%的儿童出现了中毒控制中心定义的严重不良反应，即危及生命的症状或严重的残疾。六名儿童死亡。

CNN：为什么意外摄入大麻食品的案例会急剧增加？

温：最可能的原因是供应量增加。绝大多数州已经将医用大麻合法化，超过20个州已经将成人娱乐用大麻合法化。到2024年，将有6150万美国成年人使用大麻，几乎占总人口的四分之一。这意味着许多家庭都存放着大麻制品。

食用大麻制品对幼儿来说尤其危险，因为与吸食或电子烟产品不同，它们的外观与孩子们熟悉的食物非常相似。大麻经常被添加到软糖、巧克力、饼干和其他食品中。一个两岁的孩子如果发现一块色彩鲜艳的软糖或巧克力布朗尼，根本不会明白其中含有潜在的危险药物。

本研究中儿童的年龄分布反映了正常的儿童发育情况。近一半的误食事件发生在1岁和2岁的儿童中。好奇心强的幼儿活动能力强，喜欢通过把东西放进嘴里来探索周围环境。

这些暴露事件绝大多数发生在儿童生活和活动的区域。96%的事件发生在家庭中。这意味着预防措施必须着重关注这些产品的包装和营销方式，以及它们在家中的使用和储存方式。

CNN的桑杰·古普塔医生采访了一位研究孕期吸食大麻及其对胎儿大脑发育影响的发育神经科学家。了解这些研究揭示了子宫内接触大麻的婴儿会受到哪些影响，以及这些影响会持续到成年早期。敬请收看CNN周日播出的《桑杰·古普塔医生报道》节目，了解完整报道。

CNN：幼童误食大麻会发生什么？

温：大麻的主要精神活性成分是四氢大麻酚，简称THC。幼儿THC中毒会导致深度嗜睡、意识混乱、协调能力下降、呕吐和心率变化。更严重的THC中毒会导致呼吸减慢、癫痫发作、意识丧失和昏迷。

一个主要问题是，成人服用的剂量对于幼儿来说可能过大，与其体重不符。含有THC的食用产品也可能一包内含多份。如果孩子误以为是糖果，可能在大人发现之前就吃下好几块。

食用大麻制品后的症状可能会延迟出现，因为四氢大麻酚（THC）必须经过消化系统才能发挥作用。这可能导致诊断困难，因为照护者可能不会将孩子突然的嗜睡或行为改变与几个小时前吃的东西联系起来。

这项研究发现，食用大麻制品与近5000例住院病例相关。虽然摄入大麻素导致严重后果的可能性低于其他几种药物，但由于其摄入量更为普遍，因此造成了相当数量的严重中毒事件。

ProfessionalStudioImages/iStockphoto/Getty Images

一种名为“食管痉挛症”（Scromiting）的怪异疾病正在增加，这种疾病与长期吸食大麻有关。

CNN：其他娱乐性药物对幼童的危害更大吗？

温：是的。这区分了儿童接触毒品的频率和个体接触毒品的危险程度，这是一个重要的区别。

在本次研究中，阿片类药物摄入量占比不到3%，但超过27%的阿片类药物摄入导致了严重的不良反应，近30%的患者最终需要入住重症监护室。芬太尼是一种合成阿片类药物，容易被不知情地混入其他药物中，其危险性尤其高。与其他所有研究物质相比，芬太尼摄入导致严重不良反应的可能性是其他物质的七倍以上，导致患者需要入住重症监护室的可能性是其他物质的三倍以上。六例死亡病例中有四例与芬太尼有关。

兴奋剂的使用也与严重后果相关。近24%的兴奋剂摄入者最终需要入住重症监护室。其中两例死亡与可卡因有关。

家长们应该了解的另一个趋势与迷幻剂有关。从2018年到2024年，迷幻剂的摄入量增加了八倍多，这主要归因于裸盖菇素和相关蘑菇制品。一些加工过的蘑菇制品以软糖和巧克力的形式出售，这引发了人们的担忧，即儿童可能会将它们误认为是普通食物。

MStudioImages/iStockphoto/Getty Images/文件

研究发现，大麻可能导致人类卵细胞染色体缺陷

CNN：如果家长怀疑孩子误食了毒品或其他药物，应该怎么办？

温：最重要的是不要等到出现症状才采取行动。在美国，家长一旦怀疑孩子误食了有毒物质，就应该立即拨打中毒控制中心热线 800-222-1222。中毒控制中心的专家全天候 24 小时待命，会帮助家属评估孩子误食了什么、吃了多少，以及孩子是否需要紧急就医。

不要强迫孩子呕吐，也不要尝试任何民间偏方。如果可能，请找到并保留包装，以便中毒专家和医务人员能够确定孩子可能摄入的物质、浓度和剂量。

当然，如果孩子失去意识或无法唤醒、呼吸困难、癫痫发作或出现其他危及生命的症状，请务必立即拨打 911。

CNN：家长应该如何储存食用大麻制品和其他娱乐性药物？

温：对待它们要像对待药品、酒精或其他潜在危险物品一样。将它们放在原包装中，并锁在儿童看不到或够不着的地方。

仅仅把东西放在高处是不够的。幼儿会爬，大一点的孩子也能拿到父母认为够不着的地方。虽然这份数据针对的是幼儿，但食用大麻制品对大一点的孩子来说也不安全。不要把这些产品放在钱包、背包、床头柜、橱柜或其他孩子能拿到的地方。不要把含THC的软糖或其他食用大麻制品装进普通的糖果袋或食品容器里。

这些预防措施适用于儿童停留的任何地方，包括保姆家、祖父母家、邻居家以及其他亲朋好友家。如果您没有孩子，但预计会有孩子来访，您也应该像保管处方药一样，妥善保管所有娱乐性药物。

奥琳娜·鲁班/Moment RF/Getty Images

我年轻时吸食的大麻早已消失殆尽。真希望有人早点告诉我。

CNN：关于预防这类中毒事件，家长们还应该注意些什么吗？

温：成年人应该避免在幼儿面前食用含糖食品。幼儿通过模仿学习。看着父母吃看起来像糖果的东西，会让孩子觉得这种食品很有吸引力。父母哪怕只是离开一会儿，孩子就可能误食有毒物质。

家长还应注意，娱乐性药物只是家中众多潜在中毒源之一。常见的危险物品包括处方药和非处方药、维生素、清洁和洗涤用品、化妆品、杀虫剂、汽车用油和电池。家长应将这些物品锁好，并在橱柜上使用安全锁。预防中毒并在怀疑中毒时及时寻求帮助是保护儿童的关键。

每周精选健康生活小贴士，助您轻松享受美好生活。订阅 CNN 的“生活更美好”电子报，获取提升幸福感的资讯和实用工具。