Imagine, for a moment, an infant. She s learning to crawl, exploring the world and objects around her. One of those objects is an edible gummy, containing enough THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) to cause intoxication, seizures, trouble breathing, and changes to heart rate and blood pressure. She puts it in her mouth, swallows, and when the poisoning effects set in - sometimes hours later - her parents panic.
Former Medical Director Richard Cantor estimated the poison center received 1200-to-1400 calls a year in the 80s. That volume now approaches 50,000 calls annually.