OU Health pediatric ER doctor sees THC poisoning patients nearly daily

A child mistaking a THC edible for candy turned into a scare on Wednesday for staff at Hayes Elementary in southeast Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City Public School District officials said a student brought the edibles from home and shared it with two other students. Police and EMSA were called to the school. Police said three children were taken to the hospital and released the same day.

Increased Pediatric Visits to Local ERs for THC Poisoning

Dr. Ryan Brown, an OU Children's Hospital physician, said since Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana, he has seen on average one child a day, if not every other day, coming to the emergency room or being admitted to the hospital due to THC poisoning. Brown said that 95 percent of the patients ingested edibles. Brown has never seen a death due to THC poisoning but said the consequences can be serious, including vomiting, seizures and even being intubated.

Legal Consequences for Parents and Guardians

Local defense attorney Irven Box said parents and guardians can be held criminally liable for allowing a child access to drugs. Box said the charges can range from a misdemeanor of contributing to the delinquency of a minor to the felony charge of child neglect, which can carry up to a life sentence.

Alarming Statistics on THC Poisoning

A report on the impact of medical marijuana in Oklahoma showed a 381% increase in marijuana poison control calls in the state for children ages six to 19. Children ages 0 to five jumped to a 2,529 percent increase.

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