Cannabis edibles leave several children in hospital

Several children have been hospitalised following the ingestion of illegal edible cannabis products in Canada.

Health Canada has issued a warning to consumers that “they should only purchase cannabis from authorized provincial and territorial retailers, online or in brick-and-mortar stores”.

The products were reported to have a similar appearance to regular sweets or food and were not kept in child-resistant packaging. The Department has said that the products had been stored in locations such as fridges and freezers.

Whether purchased or homemade, cannabis products must be securely stored, out of reach of children and young persons. 

In its warning, Health Canada reminded consumers that obtaining cannabis from illegal sources can carry potential health risks. This is because they are not regulated and do not meet the set safety and quality controls outlined in the Cannabis Act.

“Legal cannabis products must be sold in child-resistant and tamper-evident packaging, and the immediate container must be opaque or translucent. Edible cannabis products may legally contain a maximum of 10 milligrams of THC per package,” the Government department’s statement read.

How to identify legal cannabis

Health Canada issued the following advice for recognising legal cannabis.

• Cannabis products sold by licensed retailers, containing more than 0.3 percent THC, are required to have an excise stamp at the point of sale. Find your provincial excise stamp here.
• Does the packaging and labelling include appropriate warning messages and information about the product? It should do!
• Provincially and territorially authorised retailers are the only legal way to purchase cannabis for non-medical purposes in Canada. Most provinces and territories list the locations in which legal cannabis can be purchased online and in stores.
• Edible cannabis products are limited to a maximum of 10mg THC per package.

For more information, visit http://tiny.cc/1v9nsz.