Nationwide rise in children consuming edible cannabis products, Sanford doctor explains impacts

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Cannabis products are easy to find in Minnesota. But for some children who end up using the product, they can become very ill.

“Whether you’re a chronic user or someone who hasn’t used at all, you can become actually quite ill from them. And that may be things like loss of balance or dizziness, it might be nausea or vomiting. It might be even loss of consciousness or difficulty breathing. Some of those symptoms can be really quite severe, especially in younger children. And so it really should be taken seriously,” said Dr. Stephanie Hanson, Pediatrician.

On Monday, about 10 students at Horizon Middle School in Moorhead became nauseous, with two students requiring medical attention, after consuming what police believed to be THC candy.

“I think we’ve seen a big increase in the rate of legalization of THC products in many states, and so the availability of products has become a lot more widespread. They’re much more easy to come by, much more in our marketplace, in our homes,” said Hanson.

According to a study conducted by researchers for the American Academy of Pediatrics, from 2017 to 2021, there were 7,043 exposures to edible cannabis products for children under the age of 6.

“We’ve taken a look at some of the products that are available, the labeling, the appearance of the products themselves, they are made to look like candy. They are made to look like cookies or brownies. And so, even to the trained eye it can be really difficult to tell them apart, even if you know you’re trying to look for a THC product. You might not be able to tell it from a non-THC product,” said Hanson.

Hanson says if you believe your child may have consumed THC, contact the national poison control.