The number of cannabis poisoning in Ohio cases involving young children has increased dramatically over the past decade, with poison control centres reporting a massive surge in incidents. From just 11 calls in 2015, the Ohio Poison Centers received over 580 calls about edible cannabis exposure in young children last year.

Escalating Incidents

Cannabis poisoning in Ohio has been rising for years, even before voters legalised recreational marijuana in late 2023 and before recreational sales began a year ago. However, exposure calls surged significantly in the first half of 2024 and are climbing once again.

“We see one of these every day,” said Hannah Hays, medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center and chief of toxicology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Most of the cannabis poisonings in young children under 6 are edibles.”

The timeline shows consistent growth: calls increased 34% in 2021, 37% in 2022, and 24% in 2023, before jumping 41% to reach 582 cases in 2024.

Popular Edible Market

THC edibles have proven quite popular in Ohio since recreational marijuana sales began on 6th August 2024. Consumers across the state have purchased 4.2 million THC edibles worth $91 million, according to sales data from the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control.

Ohio now operates 158 marijuana dispensaries, including seven in Montgomery County, five in Butler County, four in Warren County, two in Miami and Clark counties, and one in Greene County. These dispensaries stock various THC edibles, including cookies, brownies, chocolates, candies and gummies in numerous flavours, plus THC-infused sodas and drinks.

Why Children Are at Risk

Many THC edibles look virtually identical to products without the drug, especially when removed from packaging. Young children’s natural curiosity and love of sweets creates a perfect storm for accidental childhood cannabis exposure. Kids often consume multiple edibles before symptoms appear, consuming far more than an adult would knowingly choose.

The effects of edibles can take 30 to 60 minutes to manifest, meaning children may consume large THC doses before anyone realises they’re displaying symptoms of marijuana overdose.

Symptoms and Medical Response

Children who consume cannabis often experience anxiety, dizziness, sleepiness and slurred speech. In rarer cases, kids may have hallucinations, seizures or respiratory failure, and can fall into a coma.

Cannabis poisoning in Ohio incidents are frightening for families, who may feel guilty and worry about potential trouble. The experience proves very disturbing for children and families, though children typically recover well after receiving supportive care.

Poison center staff usually instruct callers to take affected children to hospital for evaluation and treatment, although some cases can be monitored at home without requiring emergency department visits.

Safety Recommendations

Adult Ohioans who purchase cannabis must store products safely to prevent young people gaining access, according to the Division of Cannabis Control. State officials recommend keeping marijuana in safes or lockboxes.

Marijuana edibles should be stored on high shelves or hard-to-reach places separate from normal food products. Keeping THC products in purses or handbags around children is generally inadvisable.

Officials recommend labelling all marijuana edible products and advise adults not to consume edibles in front of children, who often mimic behaviours. Ohioans who provide cannabis to minors face fines and possible jail time.

Recent Patterns

Despite overall increases in childhood cannabis exposure, calls to Ohio Poison Centers about these incidents declined for three consecutive quarters in Q3 and Q4 of 2024, and Q1 of 2025, before rising again in Q2 of this year.

Dr Hays suggests this temporary decline might reflect users switching from unregulated, homemade edible cannabis products to dispensary products with safer packaging. Ohio law requires regulated edible marijuana products to have child-resistant packaging, unlike homemade alternatives.

However, children sometimes access packaging considered child-resistant, making more secure storage containers advisable.

Legal Requirements

Ohio law mandates child-resistant packaging for regulated edible marijuana products, representing an important safety measure. Nevertheless, the continuing rise in cannabis poisoning in Ohio cases demonstrates that packaging alone cannot prevent all incidents.

The responsibility ultimately rests with adult consumers to implement proper storage protocols and maintain careful supervision around children in households where cannabis products are present.

Source: Dayton Daily News