Research shows marijuana use in minors has increased since it was legalized in 2018, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Sentinel Surveillance Of Substance-Related Poisonings In Canada reported the following cases of survivors of accidental poisoning: 13,409 due to alcohol, 3,961 due to marijuana and 2,732 due to opioids..WebMD has reported teen usage of cannabis saw a 24% increase in monthly use from 2017-2019 alone and 32% in lifetime use..“Among children under the age of 10 years, there were 35 cases, all of which were unintentional in nature,” wrote Sentinel researchers..“These edible products were either mistakenly left within the reach of children or unintentionally given to them.”.Most common poisoning cases occur in residential settings, such as at home or at a friend’s house..“While uncommon in adults, cannabis intoxication can have significant negative impacts on young children including behavioural changes, seizures, respiratory depression, problems with coordination and balance, and even coma,” said Dr. Yaron Finkelstein, senior scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences at SickKids..Finkelstein emphasized the importance of safe storage of cannabis products, especially since the appearance of edibles can be very encouraging to children..Research from the year-end report states that the legalization of marijuana has resulted in an increase in misuse of the drug..Despite the risks to minors, legalization has proven to be a cash cow for Canadian business owners..The number of cannabis stores have drastically increased 158 in November 2018 to 1,792 in April 2021..Retail sales continue to climb each coming year, the industry saw a 120% increase from 2019-2020, then a 38% increase from 2020-2021..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard..esudyk@westernstandardonline.com
