CDC Warns Potential Dangers of Edible Marijuana

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The death of a 19-year-old boy last year has been linked to a possible marijuana intoxication due to his consumption of edible marijuana cookies, making the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a warning the potential dangers of edible marijuana.

News Maine reports that the victim, Levy Thamba, has purchased the cookies legally from a licensed shop in Colorado and the owner has advised the teen to eat it in small portions. However, Thamba apparently has finished the whole pack which led him to jump out of his hotel room window to his death.

This is the first reported death in Colorado that has been associated with edible marijuana, and although it has been approved for recreational purposes, CDC states that the case has proven otherwise.

Jessica Hancock-Allen, an epidemic intelligence officer from the CDC, explained that ingesting a large amount of edible marijuana can lead to overconsumption and put individuals at risk of suffering mental hallucinations. Systemic THC levels and psychological effects after consumption are highly varying because of the rate of absorption, bioavailability and metabolic first-pass effect, making it more dangerous.

Forbes adds that the case is a reminder to the public about the potential dangers linked with rapidly consuming edible marijuana products. It has a delayed effect of at least one to hours before getting that "high" or euphoric sensations as compared to merely smoking it, which takes effect minutes after.

Large consumption in one go can lead to psychological effects and the possibility of over sedation, anxiety attacks and psychosis. Ingesting it in a short period of time can also trigger unusual reactions like paranoia, intense anxiety or frank psychosis. It can also leave the user in a state of distortion and false sense of reality which leads to erratic behavior.

The CDC writes that after alcohol, marijuana is the most used form of recreational drug in the U.S., with about 19.8 million users in 2013 alone. Colorado and Washington are the first two states to legalize the use of marijuana. In 2014, an estimated 45 percent of marijuana sales came from edible products.

Most states have legalized the use of marijuana for reduction of adverse medical effects but the experts believe having a marijuana-attributed morbidity and mortality surveillance can help decrease cases of overconsumption in states where marijuana can be legally used or consumed.