Child Accidentally Consumed Weed: What to Do First

Answer

Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The line is free and open 24 hours. Call 911 if the child has trouble breathing, has a seizure, turns blue, or cannot be woken. Poison Control tells you if the child can stay home or needs an emergency room.

kids cannabis ingestion emergency

What to do in the first hour

• Stay with the child. Do not leave them alone.
• Keep the product, package, or wrapper. A photo also works.
• Write down the time of exposure and the amount eaten.
• Weigh the child or give an estimate.
• Do not make the child throw up unless a medical professional tells you to.
• Do not give caffeine, cold showers, or home remedies.

Symptoms and timing

THC in food passes through the gut. Effects start in 30 to 120 minutes. Peak is 2 to 4 hours. Symptoms can last 12 hours or more. Smoke and vape effects start in minutes.

Child Cannabis Overdose Signs: A Parent's Quick Guide

• Sleepiness, hard to wake
• Unsteady walking, falling, trouble sitting up
• Vomiting
• Fast heart rate
• Dilated pupils
• Confusion, crying, agitation
• Low body temperature
• Slow speech

Severe signs: slow or shallow breathing, seizure, coma, low blood pressure. These need 911.

what to do if child eats cannabis

Why edibles hit children harder

A common edible holds 2.5 to 10 mg of THC. A 30-pound child who eats 10 mg takes in a dose per pound far above an adult dose. Body weight is the main factor. Children also have no tolerance.

What the hospital does

There is no antidote for THC. Care is support: monitoring, oxygen if needed, IV fluids, and time. Most children recover in 12 to 24 hours. Cases with breathing problems go to intensive care.

After the call

Watch the child for at least 4 to 6 hours even if they look fine. Edibles take time to peak. Note any new symptom and call Poison Control back if something changes.

Prevention

• Put edibles in a locked container.
• Keep the container above eye level and out of the kitchen.
• Do not move edibles into candy bags, cookie jars, or candy wrappers.
• Count pieces after each use. A missing piece is a signal to check.
• Keep the Poison Control number on the fridge.

Data from poison centers shows a rise in edible calls for children under 6 after state legalization. Most cases end with full recovery. Speed of the call matters more than the size of the dose.