McHenry Times

The legalization of cannabis products is causing repercussions in Illinois as poison control officials are warning parents to carefully monitor the products.

"An alarming 4,500% rise in accidental ingestion of legalized recreational cannabis products by children is causing the Illinois Poison Control Center to issue a warning to parents and other users of cannabis products,” state Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa), said on Facebook. "Illinois Poison Control advises parents to store THC infused edibles in a safe place that is out of the reach of children and avoid buying edibles that look like candy or a treat that a child would be eager to try.” 

Some cannabis products are colorful and resemble candies, enticing children to eat them, resulting in ailments that range from vomiting to seizures and coma, the post said.

Several media outlets have reported that the number of exposures to edible cannabis among children ages 5 and younger across the state jumped from 5 cases in 2017 to 232 cases – marking a 4,500% increase, with most of them coming during the pandemic heavy years of 2020-2021, pantagraph.com reports. Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in 2020. 

“We are experiencing an increased amount of poison center calls and hospital visits involving children who unintentionally consumed cannabis edibles,” Illinois Poison Center Medical Director Michael Wahl said.

That mirrors, but exceeds, the national trend. Nationwide, researchers found the number of cases rose to 3,054 in 2021 from 207 in 2017, an increase of almost 14 times, the report says.