The Liberals are calling on more education for cannabis consumers as accidental child poisonings have increased since legalization, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Katrina Gould brought the issue to Senate question period on Wednesday, saying poisonings sharply increased after the 2018 legalization..“We certainly don’t want to see children going to emergency rooms,” said Gould..A 2020 report by the Public Health Agency said non-fatal cannabis poisoning hospitalizations surpassed the amount caused by opioids..“Of 23,589 hospitalizations for harm caused by substance abuse among youth aged 10 to 24 years in 2017 to 2018 those related to cannabis were more common than those caused by any other substance including alcohol, opioids and cocaine,” said the report..“Among children under the age of 10 years there were 35 cases all of which were unintentional in nature,” wrote researchers..“Edible products were either mistakenly left within the reach of children or unintentionally given to them.”.Sen. Judith Seidman said Wednesday hospitalizations at some emergency rooms involving young children “have been nine times higher since your government’s legalization of cannabis.”.“As minister responsible for children, what steps will you and your government take?” said Seidman..“I’m certainly concerned,” replied Gould..Gould said provinces should restrict the sales of edibles with common similarities to candy..“We also need to do better at educating parents and children who are consuming cannabis products to make sure they store them in a place that is far out of reach from children and that they are doing their part to keep them away, much as they would with alcohol products that they also have in their own homes,” said Gould..Bill C-45, An Act Respecting Cannabis allows legal growing of up to four cannabis plants in a home and an unlimited amount of processed cannabis products to be kept in a home..“Among cases with an identifiable location the majority of cannabis-related poisonings occur in a residential setting,” said the Sentinel Surveillance report..The Canadian Paediatric Society raised concerns in 2019, saying children “may be among those most at risk” from legalization..Some doctors had opposed Bill C-45..“Our experience shows as doctors in our professional life that there are very negative effects on the health of young people,” Dr. Laurent Marcoux, then-president of the Canadian Medical Association, testified at 2018 hearings of the Senate social affairs committee..“The use of cannabis is linked to health risks. Legalizing cannabis won’t change the risks.”.Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard.,esudyk@westernstandard.news,.twitter.com/EwaSudyk
