Uncovering America: Sweet Trap – Children health crisis behind U.S. cannabis edibles

Cannabis is now legal in 40 out of 50 U.S. states for medical use, with recreational use legalized in 24 states. It has created a market for marijuana edibles, making gummies, chocolates and beverages more readily available to consumers, including minors. Reports of cannabis poisoning among children soared from 930 in 2009 to more than 22,000 in 2024 – and more than 75 percent of all cannabis poisonings involved children and teens in 2024, according to America’s Poison Centers. Why are cannabis edible poisonings trending? Legalization has brought normalization, making THC products available in homes where edibles are easily mistaken for popular candies, making accidental ingestion common in children and adolescents.

"We're involved in a THC arms race now," Dr Jeffery L. Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of the Family and Children's Association (FCA), based in Garden City, NY, told CGTN in an interview. Dr Reynolds pointed out that many cannabis products are deliberately designed to look like mainstream snacks, wrapped in eye-catching, often fluorescent packaging. This has fueled a sharp increase in cases of children inadvertently eating them and ending up in the emergency room.

However, the more far-reaching harm lies in the developing brains of teenagers. Exposure to cannabis during the critical period of ages 12 to 16 can lead to a decline in children's learning ability, cause permanent damage to IQ, and impair their natural ability to cope with stress and emotions.

Dr Reynolds called on the U.S. government to urgently intervene by educating the public about the risks associated with cannabis products. He also emphasized that cannabis product companies, communities, and parents should also work together to protect children from the harm of cannabis.