Weed isn’t for kids, obviously — but an alarming number are getting their hands on it, particularly of the edibles variety. According to a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, the number of children ages 5 and under who accidentally consumed cannabis edibles underwent a significant increase – approximately 1,375% in the span of five years.
The study analyzed data from America’s Poison Center’s National Poison Data System (NPDS), which documented 7,043 exposures to edible cannabis in kids under 6 between 2017 and 2021. As noted in the study, researchers specifically focused on kids 5 and under because of the particularly high risk: In 2020, accidental cannabis consumption by children in that age group accounted for over 40% of all human poison control center calls.
