If you have marijuana edibles in your home, King County health officials remind you to keep them away from the kids, who account for a growing number of pot intoxication reports made to the Washington Poison Center.
"Edible marijuana poisoning is an emerging health risk to children in our community that demands attention," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, in a news release Wednesday. "Edible marijuana consumers, sellers and health care providers should all take steps to prevent children from getting access to these products.”
Children 5 and younger made up about 30 percent of all edible marijuana intoxication reports in 2014, the health department said.
The number of edible pot intoxication reports to the Poison Center spiked in 2013 and 2014, the health department said.
But it’s not clear what role legal pot had in the increase, The Seattle Times reported. “The legal pot system has only captured about 10 percent of the overall marijuana market, according to a state estimate. That small share suggests that most of the edibles consumed in the state are not bought from legal retail stores,” The Times reported.
Colorado has also seen a spike in calls to poison control centers since it legalized marijuana, according to The Associated Press.
