Kids Ate a Cannabis Gummy? What to Do Right Now

If a child ate a cannabis gummy, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Do not wait for symptoms. Keep the child where you can see them, save the package, and note the time and the amount that may be missing.

what to do if child eats cannabis

Steps to Take Right Now

1. Move the child away from the edibles and put the package out of reach. Keep the wrapper so you can read the THC dose.
2. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The call is free and the line stays open 24 hours a day.
3. Give the specialist the child's age, weight, the time of ingestion, the product name, and the milligrams of THC on the label.
4. Follow the advice you receive. Many children can be watched at home. Others need to go to an emergency room.
5. Do not force the child to vomit. It will not clear the THC and it can cause choking.
6. Place a sleepy child on their side, and stay in the room with them.
7. Call 911 if the child is hard to wake, breathes slow, has a seizure, or turns blue or gray.

Why Edibles Are Risky for Young Children

A cannabis gummy can hold 10 mg of THC or more, and some packages hold 100 mg. For a 30 pound child, that dose is far beyond what an adult would take. Edibles taste like candy, so a child may eat several before an adult notices. THC in food moves through the body in a different way than smoke. The liver turns it into a stronger compound, 11-hydroxy-THC, which can cause a deeper and longer high.

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Symptoms to Watch For

• Sleepiness that is hard to interrupt
• Unsteady walking, clumsy hands, slurred speech
• Vomiting
• Fast heart rate
• Confusion, crying, or agitation
• Wide pupils

Severe signs include slow or shallow breathing, seizures, muscle twitching, and loss of consciousness. These need 911, not a phone consult.

what to do if child eats cannabis

How Long the Effects Last

Edibles do not act at once. Symptoms often start 30 minutes to 2 hours after a child eats a gummy, and they peak between 2 and 4 hours. Most children improve within 6 to 12 hours, but a large dose can keep a child sleepy for a full day. A hospital may keep a child overnight for observation.

What Happens at the Hospital

There is no antidote for THC. Care is supportive. Staff watch the child's breathing, heart rate, and blood sugar. They may give oxygen, IV fluids, or, in serious cases, a breathing tube until the drug wears off. Most children recover with no lasting harm.

Preventing the Next Exposure

• Store edibles in a locked box or a high cabinet, not a kitchen drawer.
• Keep them in the child-resistant package. Do not move gummies into a candy jar or a plastic bag.
• Count what is in the package so you know right away if some are missing.
• Do not call edibles "candy" or "medicine" around children.
• Ask guests to keep their edibles in a locked bag or leave them at home.