Health Canada is warning about illegal cannabis edibles that can cause harm when swallowed, especially for children and pets.
The agency says flashy packaging with pictures, catchy names, strange THC symbols or that mimic popular name brands need to be looked out for and are unregulated.
They often look like products sold at gas stations, according to Health Canada.
Examples include “Stoneo” – which look like Oreo Cookies, Cheetos products, Nerds Rope and “Froot Loopz.” The full list can be found on the Health Canada website.
Health Canada says there have been several cases of children being hospitalized after swallowing the unregulated edible cannabis as they can have high amounts of THC.
They say regulated products come in plain packaging and have a health warning message in a yellow box and a red cannabis symbol along with an excise stamp. The packaging is also child-resistant.
Health Canada says when purchasing cannabis to only buy legal and regulated products in plain packaging with child safety features.
They say to store it out of reach of children and pets, and to watch for symptoms if a child is suspected of eating it.
Symptoms include:
- chest pain
- rapid heartbeat
- nausea
- vomiting
- psychotic episode
- slowed and ineffective breathing (respiratory depression)
- severe anxiety
- panic attack
- agitation
- confusion
- slurred speech
- unsteadiness on feet
- drowsiness/lethargy
- muscle weakness
- loss of consciousness
They say to call 911 if someone is having a serious medical emergency.
