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Study/ How American children are misusing cannabis

Study/ How American children are misusing cannabis
According to a new study, the number of American children under the age of six who accidentally consumed cannabis has increased in the past five years as restrictions have been loosened across the country.

The study found a 1,375% increase in reported cases between 2017 and 2021.

More than 97% of cases occurred at home.

The study, published Tuesday in the journal Pediatrics, analyzed data from the National Poison Data System, which keeps track of US poison control centers.

Dr Marit Tweet, one of the study's co-authors, said the aim was to raise awareness of an increasingly problematic issue.

Cannabis foods come in the form of candies, chocolates, cookies and other treats that often look like normal foods, Dr Theet said, and can appeal to children who are unaware of what's inside.

The most commonly reported clinical effect was central nervous system (CNS) depression, which causes drowsiness. In about 36% of cases, the children were treated and released. A small percentage of reported cases - less than 2% - developed more severe effects.

Dr Teeet said her research could not conclude what is causing the increase in children's exposure to foods - but she noted that the largest increase in reported cases of children inadvertently consuming foods occurred during the pandemic.

The increase in cases has also occurred as marijuana restrictions have been eased across the US.

The number of states with legalized recreational use has more than doubled, from eight to 18, in the past five years. And the number of states that allow the use of medicinal cannabis has increased from 30 to 39.