Children's Health

What If a Kid Eats an Edible? Learn the Signs and What to Do

Written by Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP | Reviewed by Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Updated on January 20, 2023

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Key takeaways:

Edible forms of cannabis, or marijuana, contain a more concentrated version of cannabis, which can be harmful for children.
For most children, eating a cannabis edible will make them sleepy but not lead to lasting effects. However, some children can develop serious side effects like breathing difficulty and seizures.
To prevent accidental ingestion, it’s important to store edibles away from children in a locked area and avoid eating them in front of children.

Now that many states have legalized the use of recreational cannabis (marijuana), many people have edible forms of cannabis present at home. This has made it easier than ever for curious young children to find and accidentally eat foods containing cannabis. In the past few years, calls to poison control about accidental cannabis ingestion have increased, especially in states where cannabis is legal. Younger children are especially at risk of toxicity from accidental ingestion.

Here, we’ll talk about what happens if a child or baby eats an edible, what to do if you suspect your child has accidentally eaten an edible, and how to avoid those exposures to keep your child safe at home.

Are edible ingestions on the rise in children?

Yes. Recent studies looking at calls to Poison Control centers from 2017 to 2021 found that calls about accidental cannabis ingestion have gone up dramatically. From 2017 to 2021, cases of kids accidentally getting into cannabis went up 1,375%. And the numbers are still trending up.

Most calls were because kids accidentally ate edibles. And children under 10 years old were the most likely group to accidentally ingest cannabis.

Multiple other studies looking at Canada and Colorado have shown the same finding: When cannabis is legalized, rates of accidental ingestion of edibles in children increase and more children wind up hospitalized for accidental cannabis ingestion.

Why are kids more vulnerable to cannabis ingestion?

Children ages 3 to 5 are at highest risk of accidental ingestion. This is probably because they’re at the age in which parents let them be unsupervised a little more, but they’re still curious and tend to explore off-limit treats.

Packaging for edibles is often bright and colorful, so children are especially drawn to them. Edibles are often made in the form of precisely the kinds of foods kids most like to eat. Some of the most popular types of cannabis edibles are brownies and cookies, gummy candies, and lollipops.

Sometimes, one package equals multiple adult servings. For example, one bar of chocolate can contain multiple 10 mg adult servings, making it particularly dangerous for a child who might eat the entire bar.

What happens if a kid eats an edible?

A kid’s symptoms will usually depend on how much they ate and in what form. As noted above, some types of edibles contain multiple adult doses of THC. If a child eats the entire thing, they are more likely to have serious symptoms.

Can a child overdose on CBD gummies?

That depends. Generally, cannabidiol (CBD) gummies are less psychoactive than gummies that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Both CBD and THC are derived from the cannabis plant, but it’s the THC that usually causes the “high” that people associate with cannabis. High THC levels have also been associated with more severe reactions to overdose, such as seizures or breathing difficulties.

CBD, on the other hand, seems to be less likely to cause severe reactions, so it’s unlikely for a child to overdose on CBD gummies if there is no THC component. However, there is still a lot that is unknown about how children metabolize cannabis, and there was at least one case report of a child who was found unresponsive and hospitalized due to overdose from CBD ingestion.

What should I do if I think my child has ingested marijuana?

First, remain calm

Try to get as much information as you can:

What type of edible did your child eat?
How much was in the package when you last saw it, and how much remains?
Is there information on the packaging regarding what type of THC it contains?

Get help right away, if your child has symptoms

If your child is having any difficulty breathing or having sleepiness or changes in behavior, either call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department with the above information. It will help them determine what needs to be done next and how best to take care of your child.

No changes? You still need to call Poison Control

If your child is acting normally, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Give them all the information you have about how much you think your child ate. They will usually want to know your child’s age and weight as well. Sometimes it’s OK to monitor the effects at home, and sometimes your child will need to be seen immediately by a healthcare provider

Make a plan to prevent this from happening again

After an ingestion episode, think about how this happened:

Were the edibles left out by someone else in the home?
Did you leave them out on the counter?
Did your child surprise you by coming up with inventive ways to get into your drawers?

Come up with a plan to make sure that it doesn’t happen again in the future (see below for some tips).

Are there long-term side effects in kids who have eaten edibles/marijuana?

It’s known that being exposed to cannabis smoke on a regular basis can lead to memory problems and lower IQ for children. But less is known about the long-term effects of exposure to edible cannabis products.

For children who are exposed to cannabis on a regular basis, the research suggests a possible negative and long-lasting effect on behavior and cognition. Not much is known about the potential long-lasting effects of one edible overdose. In adults, cannabis can stay in the system for weeks. In children, we don’t really know how long it stays in their system.

What are the best ways to keep edibles away from children?

Keeping your children safe starts with recognizing that having edibles in the home can be a health risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics has some helpful recommendations to help prevent accidental cannabis ingestion in children, which are listed below.

Store edibles away from kids

Treat them as you would any medication or toxic substance. They should be locked and stored somewhere that children cannot reach.

Don’t eat edibles in front of your children

Remember, your children will follow your actions more than your words. Even if you tell them it’s not safe for kids, if they see you eating, they will want to try as well.

Talk to family and friends about keeping a safe environment for kids

One Colorado study showed that parents were the most common source of accidental cannabis exposure in kids. But relatives, neighbors, and friends, as well as babysitters, were also sources of exposure.

Talk to your kids about the dangers of edibles

Younger children are more likely to accidentally ingest, while teenagers are more likely to eat on purpose.

The bottom line

Medications and cleaning supplies are often thought of as potential toxic items that must be kept out of children’s way. Edible cannabis products should be thought of in the same way, since accidental ingestions are becoming more and more frequent due to legalization. Being proactive and removing access to these items will help keep your home safer and prevent potential cannabis intoxication for your children. In the event of an accidental exposure, keep calm and call Poison Control for help and guidance.

If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, help is available. Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to learn about resources in your area.

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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References

Atakan, Z. (2012). Cannabis, a complex plant: Different compounds and different effects on individuals. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.

Cao, D., et al. (2016). Characterization of edible marijuana product exposures reported to United States poison centers. Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, PA.).

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