There is seemingly no end to the reports of kids accidentally ingesting cannabis edibles. Public health professionals continue addressing the issue with educational campaigns, safe storage suggestions, and packaging regulations. Still, story after story details children bringing weed gummies to school, or claims that teen cannabis use is possibly on the rise. Regulators struggle to understand what will work to quell these unfortunate events. One study might point to an answer.
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A cross-sectional study set out to understand whether the shape and flavors of edibles would impact youth ingestion. Researchers looked at 106,000 adolescents aged seven to 11 across Canada after the plant was federally legalized. All provinces legalized dried, cured flower, but Quebec opted out of allowing edibles that look like sweets, desserts, or any other product that a person under 21 would desire. The other nine provinces can manufacture and sell cannabis confectioneries.
The study analyzed data from the Canadian Student Tobacco Alcohol and Drugs Surveys from 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022. Researchers compared the infused food experiences of kids in Quebec versus those in provinces with legalized weed treats to understand whether the form drives youth consumption.
The sample showed an increase in smoking (14.6 percent to 15.9 percent) and eating (7.9 percent to 9.5 percent) cannabis in all provinces that approved candy edibles. Meanwhile, Quebec kids showed a decline in edible use from 7.3 percent to 5.9 percent and a decline in overall cannabis use (17.4 percent to 15.6 percent).
Researchers did not note any increase in vaping, but kids smoking cannabis went up five percent and two-and-a-half percent more kids were apt to use alcohol and weed together. Overall, legalization led to a more lenient attitude about pot and its risks among kids.
There are limitations to this study, like the fact that the information was self-reported. Kids in Quebec could eat and smoke less weed. But also, the culture that informed the strictest cannabis laws in the country could permeate local families. If so, it might make reporting cannabis use scarier for young people in that province.
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Since Quebec does not allow infused food that looks like children’s treats, it is a valuable dataset to study regarding kids and edibles. However, this analysis does not dictate an answer to kids consuming weed gummies due to wide limitations, but it is still worth investigating further.
Novel cannabis edibles are fun and exciting, but are they harmful? The jury is definitely still out. The only thing that everyone can agree on is that a deeper look at policy measures is in order.
