Cannabis poisoning among Ohio children spiked in 2024, report finds

In the year after recreational cannabis became legal in Ohio, the state has seen a spike in accidental poisoning among children (Source: “Ohio marijuana poisonings spike as cannabis, delta-8 become more available,” Columbus Dispatch, Aug. 19).
 
More than 800 children ages 12 and younger were exposed to cannabis in 2024, according to data from Ohio Poison Centers, a 52% increase from the year prior. Nearly all cases involved marijuana edibles, which come in the form of candy, gummies and brownies.
 
Marijuana exposures have risen since 2019, when Ohio launched medical cannabis sales, but the 2024 spike was the largest in recent years. Ohio requires licensed dispensaries to sell products in child-resistant packaging. Division of Cannabis Control spokesperson Jamie Crawford said keeping marijuana away from kids is "critical to protecting their health and safety."
 
But stores that sell gray market cannabis, including delta-8, remain unregulated by the state and don't have to follow the same rules. Those products exploded in CBD stores and gas stations after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and inspired the creation of synthetic, intoxicating hemp-derived cannabis.
 
State lawmakers still haven't passed legislation to crack down on delta-8, despite calls from Gov. DeWine, state regulators and the cannabis industry. Crawford said those products have landed children across Ohio in the hospital.

In the event of a poisoning, parents can call the Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.