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KIDS' ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION MEDS SHOULD BE LIMITED

Same Rule Applies to Medical Marijuana Products As Well

According to a May report on the Today Show, there has been a spike in children going to the emergency room after consuming edible products containing marijuana, and the show noted that doctors and police alike want to raise awareness that children can be hurt by accidentally consuming such products.

This is a concern in any state that has legalized medical marijuana, including Arizona.  Marijuana-infused food products, or edibles, provide an option to patients who can't or don't want to smoke their prescribed marijuana.  Such products can come in a variety of shapes and sizes - brownies, cookies, candies, gummy candies and more.

According to www.LeafScience.com, edible products usually produce effects that are more intense and last longer, which would benefit medical patients.

The Today Show report raised valid concerns about children accessing such products, because from the images we saw online, there isn't much difference visually between a standard lollipop and a marijuana-infused one.

However, it seems like there are some simple solutions that could be put into place to prevent accidental consumption by a child.

The first is to improve the labeling on such infused products, which would help older children and teens clearly identify the difference.

It also may help to have conversations with older children and teens about why the products are in the house, why someone medically needs to take them, and explaining the dangers of children consuming them.

In Arizona, for such products to exist legally, there has to be a medical reason for it - and children should understand that those products are, in essence, a treatment for a condition, not normal food.

The best action, however, is for parents and caregivers to put such products out of the reach of children, up high on a shelf, or in a locking cabinet - whatever works.

Just as one would restrict a child's access to prescription medication, so too should their access to medical marijuana and related edibles be restricted.  The same rules apply.

Such common-sense actions would go a long way toward ensuring children don't mistake infused candy for regular candy.