It's important for parents to be aware of the implications of marijuana legalization. Veuer’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has the story.
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00:00Things are rapidly changing.
00:02Recreational marijuana is now legal in 21 states, D.C. and two U.S. territories.
00:08Science Alert reports the number of American children accidentally ingesting cannabis edibles
00:14has jumped nearly 15 times in recent years.
00:17The HuffPost says in 2021, there were 3,054 cases of children below six who ingested cannabis products.
00:25The problem is accessibility.
00:27Packages of edibles aren't usually child-resistant,
00:30and its street-like appearance can have any child tasting it and coming back for more.
00:35Ingesting THC, the component of marijuana that makes people feel high,
00:40can have several effects on children.
00:42Pediatrician Dr. Janine C. Chang says there's an array of symptoms,
00:46from having them act completely normal to stumbling, having speech problems,
00:51crying, having hallucinations, drowsiness, vomiting, and disorientation.
00:56If you suspect your child has ingested an edible, call your pediatrician or the Poison Helpline.
01:01But most importantly, do your absolute best to prevent the situation
01:05by storing cannabis edibles appropriately.
01:08That is, not in a regular pantry, and best, high up, in a less enticing package, and under lock and key.