Marijuana Exposure Among Kids Aged 6 & Below Increasing, Could Lead to Poisoning, Coma or Seizure

The rate of young children under the age of six exposed to medical marijuana has risen due to medical marijuana legalization, according to a new study. Exposure to medical marijuana could lead to poisoning, coma, or seizures in severe cases.

The study, which was published Monday in the journal Clinical Pediatrics, has found that there is a 147.5 percent increase in the exposure of children, ages 6 and below, to medical marijuana, according to Science Daily.

The study shows that the incidence rose sharply in states where marijuana is legalized. Researchers say that most of the exposures come in the form of ingesting pot brownies, cookies and other marijuana-laced foods and products.

"The high percentage of ingestions may be related to the popularity of marijuana brownies, cookies and other foods," Henry Spiller, co-author and toxicologists at the Central Ohio Poison Center, said. "Very young children explore their environments by putting items in their mouths, and foods such as brownies and cookies are attractive."

From 2000 to 2013, a total of 1,969 children were reported to the U.S. Poison Control Centers for marijuana exposure. During that time period, the exposure rate was nearly 6 per 1 million children with the average age of nearly 2 years old. According to Medical Daily, three-fourths of the marijuana exposed children were less than three years of age.

The children in the study experienced drowsiness, confusion, irritability, lethargy and lack of body coordination. In some serious cases, children suffered seizures, shallow breathing and comas that lasted two hours to a full day, Live Science reports. The severe side effects could be attributed to THC, a psychoactive substance found in marijuana, according to the researchers.

While the reported cases were small, it was the sharp increase of accidental exposure incidents in states that have legal marijuana that worries the researchers.

"Any state considering marijuana legalization needs to include child protections in its laws from the very beginning," said Dr. Gary Smith, author of the study and Nationwide Children's director of Center for Injury Research and Policy.  "Child safety must be part of the discussion when a state is considering legalization of marijuana."

Recommended safety precautions include child-proof packaging and keeping any marijuana products away from the sight and reach of small children. It is also ideal to stash marijuana products in a locked cabinet.