Tag Archives: marijuana edibles

Marijuana Edibles Causing Concern

marijuana edibleOne of the unforeseen issues with the legalization of recreational marijuana use by adults in states like Colorado has been overdoses related to marijuana edibles. These are often baked goods and other edibles where the drug is infused into the preparation process and consumed with the food or candy.

There are several dangers in this that have sprung up, quite in addition to regular use of the drug. One of them is that these edibles are more appealing to young people, and there have been numerous emergency room visits due to children consuming the drug by eating marijuana-infused cookies and other treats.

The THC content (the active ingredient in marijuana) is hard to control in these dangerous snacks as well. Sometimes there may be five or more “servings” in a chocolate bar, for example, yet a person eats the whole thing and winds up overdosing on marijuana. Another way that these overdoses occur is because unlike smoking the drug, eating it has a delayed effect since it has to pass through the stomach first. This has caused many people to continue consumption well past the amount the intended, and then it’s too late once it starts to take effect.

Marijuana overdose situations can include a variety of symptoms, such as extreme nervousness or paranoia, pounding headache, racing heart, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and more. It’s not to be taken lightly, especially as more people are showing up in emergency rooms due to marijuana intoxication.

Despite claims to the contrary, people can and do become addicted to marijuana and need treatment help to recover from it. If you or someone you love has a problem with marijuana, contact us today for more information on our effective drug rehabilitation services.

Unspoken Dangers of Legal Marijuana

ediblesEdible marijuana has become one of the most popular ways to consume the drug in the states that have legalized it. Licensed retailers are creating more and more snacks laced with marijuana. The trend has become so popular in Colorado, for example, that many companies are struggling to keep up with the demand, and profits are taking precedent over health.

In addition to creating foods that are trying appeal to a broad (and younger) audience, manufacturers are also using potent strands of THC, therefore making the edibles extremely strong and potentially dangerous.

“What we’re seeing with edibles is that effect is delayed for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the person. People get impatient for the effect and will take more, and then the symptoms are more pronounced than what they were expecting,” explained Al Bronstein, a doctor at the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.

In locations where recreational marijuana is legal, a person can buy as much marijuana snacks as they want. There is no limit to the amount of marijuana a person is allowed to consume. Some people traveling through also decide to try the confections, thinking that they’re more of a novelty. Being unaccustomed to marijuana edibles, they are likely unaware of the delayed effect and the potency and wind up ingesting more of the drug than they anticipated.

At least one incident where marijuana edibles seem to have played a role in a death occurred in March 2014. The coroner’s office ruled that the death of a college student who fell from a window was caused, in part, by too many marijuana snacks.

More recently, a mother who lost her son to suicide is convinced that marijuana edibles played a large role in her son’s death. She believes that he ate too much of the snacks and became overwhelmed. Unable to handle the high and being overwhelmed with different things going on in his life, he shot himself.

As the culture leans more towards the recreational use of marijuana, it is vital that people understand that even if they buy pot legally, it is still a drug with potentially powerful side effects, even in the form of a cupcake or a brownie. The nation should be watching places like Colorado and Washington closely to see the longer-term effects on society before others start trying to legalize the drug for wider use.