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?
