- Rates of kids accidentally ingesting marijuana have risen over 1,300% since 2017, a study found.
- One mother who doesn't use cannabis said her son ate weed cake at a party.
The mom of a toddler who accidentally ate marijuana cake was a self-described "helicopter parent" to her first son.
When she and her husband took the boy to a party about five years ago, when he was just shy of 2, she put him down and said something quickly to her husband, she said, adding that when she turned back, the boy was eating a piece of cake.
At first, the mom — whose identity is known to Insider but was granted anonymity to protect the identity of her child — said she was concerned because the tot had barely processed sugar at that point. But then, she realized the situation was much more serious.
"Two minutes later, a girl came and told us, 'Be careful with this cake. There's pot inside,'" the mom said.
She was speechless. She had never used cannabis and had no idea how much marijuana her son had ingested. She and her husband immediately left the party but worried that if they called the doctor, they might be reported to social services. Finally, she got in touch with a pediatrician friend, she said. The doctor told her to monitor her son's heart rate and breathing and that he'd likely be fine. The boy fell asleep early and had no signs of distress.
"It was worse for my husband and me," she said. "It was horrible for us."
Accidental consumption among kids is skyrocketing
As marijuana becomes more widely legalized at the state level, accidental consumption among children have skyrocketed. Among children under the age of 6, cannabis consumption increased by more than 1,300% between 2017 and 2021, a study released in January by the American Academy of Pediatrics found.
Edibles — candies and other food that contain cannabis — are often brightly colored, sweet, and appealing to kids, said Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, the medical director at the National Capital Poison Center, more commonly known as Poison Control. Since marijuana is federally illegal, there's little regulation of packaging and no standardized childproofing for cannabis products.
"These factors increase the risk of unintentional childhood exposure to these products," Johnson-Arbor said.
Kids under 6 are at the highest risk for acute marijuana toxicity and make up nearly 42% of all poisoning reports, the AAP study found.
The effects of edibles vary widely depending on how much cannabis the item contains and the serving a person consumes, said Jonathan Bohun, a cannabis expert and cofounder of Weedar, a loyalty and distribution platform for cannabis brands. Some people might feel off-balance, while others might experience more serious reactions like nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, or seizures.
With their lower body weights, kids are more susceptible to intense effects, Bohun said. Of about 3,000 cases of young children consuming cannabis, about 22% were admitted to the hospital, the AAP study found.
Call Poison Control if your child consumes cannabis
Like the toddler's mom, many parents are horrified and guilt-ridden when they realize their child has consumed cannabis. But they're also afraid to seek medical attention because they worry about legal consequences.
Johnson-Arbor suggests that parents call Poison Control, which is confidential, if their child consumes edibles. You can also chat with Poison Control online. The agency will then make a recommendation based on your child's age, weight, symptoms, how much they consumed, and other factors. Parents should never try to induce vomiting or just let their child "sleep it off," Johnson-Arbor said.
If there are serious consequences, like changes to breathing or consciousness, it's time to go to the hospital or call 911. Bohun emphasized that it's important to be entirely honest with healthcare providers.
"Inform staff that they are under the influence of cannabis so they can be appropriately monitored and evaluated," he said. "A hospital is the best place for them to minimize the risk of distress, danger, falls, or seizures. Even if it's unlikely, it's better to be safe than sorry."
This mom wants other parents to have a plan
The mom's son who accidentally ate cannabis at a party had no lasting effects. Five years later, she can even laugh about the incident, the way one laughs at stories about broken bones and other emergencies. But the guilt and fear were real that night and the following days, she said.
Now she wants other parents, even those who don't use marijuana themselves, to be aware of the danger.
"Maybe it will never happen, but it's better to know what to do," she said. "Because it could happen."