Gina Lee Castro
Most calls to the Wisconsin Poison Center about edible cannabis poisonings in 2025 involved children and teens.
According to Bre Campbell, a spokesperson for the center, 68% of the 309 calls the center received about cannabis poisonings last year involved people under 19 years old.
Children under 5 accounted for 37% of the calls. This age group often mistakes THC-infused edibles as candy and can eat multiple pieces or even the whole bag, Campbell said.
“That’s a dangerous scenario,” Campbell said.
According to Campbell, about 8% of calls related to edible cannabis resulted in patients being admitted to critical care.
Starting in November, most hemp products will become illegal nationwide due to a federal ban.
Until then, hemp products with low levels of THC are legal in Wisconsin. However, a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation that tested 30 hemp products in Wisconsin found 18 of them contained THC above the federal limit.
Among older children and teens ages 6 to 19 years old, street drugs and stimulants like THC and nicotine were the fourth most common substances involved in poisonings in Wisconsin last year.
Thirty-one percent of calls related to edible cannabis involved 6- to 19-year-olds, Campbell said.
Adults 20 years or older accounted for a similar share.
Children under 5 years old are frequently exposed to nicotine, too. About 86% of poisoning calls related to e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine in 2025 were for children under 5 years old, Campbell said.
The best thing parents and guardians can do to avoid these exposures is store these substances safely locked away and have discussions about the risks of using things like nicotine and cannabis and other drugs, Campbell said.
Contact the Wisconsin Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 or at www.wisconsinpoison.org.
Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be reached at GCastro@usatodayco.com.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment