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Cannabis Information for Families

Avoiding accidental cannabis consumption

Young children, pets, teenagers and other adults can be affected from accidental cannabis poisonings, particularly from edible cannabis products. Accidental poisonings in children from edible cannabis pose a serious risk, and many edible cannabis products often look nearly identical to regular treats making it difficult to tell the difference. If you suspect there has been an accidental poisoning, call your local poison centre or 9-1-1 for emergencies. Make sure you mention that you suspect the symptoms are from cannabis. A quicker diagnosis can prevent serious harm to a child.

Know the signs

There have been an increase in hospitalizations of children in Canada due to accidental cannabis poisoning. If you suspect there has been an accidental poisoning, call your local poison centre or 9-1-1 for emergencies. Make sure you mention that you suspect the symptoms are from cannabis. A quicker diagnosis can prevent serious harm to a child. Symptoms of an accidental poisoning can include:

Vomiting
Unsteadiness on feet
Confusion
Drowsiness/lethargy
Unresponsiveness
Slowed breathing
Slurred speech
Seizures (rare)

Safe storage tips

There are a number of preventative measures you can take in order to avoid accidental cannabis poisonings:

Safely store your cannabis out of reach and locked away
Keep edible cannabis separate from regular food and drinks
Choose legal cannabis products, which:
- Come from a legally licensed producer or retailer
- Come in plain, child-resistant packaging
- Contain no more than 10 mg of THC per package, to reduce the risk of accidental poisoning
In contrast, illegal edible cannabis products:
- Can confuse children by mimicking popular brands of candies and snacks
- Can contain very high amounts of THC, which increases the risk of severe cannabis poisoning

Parachute is Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention, including poison prevention awareness and advocacy. As part of their annual Poison Prevention Week campaign, Parachute launched a complimentary #HighAndLocked campaign, bringing attention to the importance of keeping cannabis products out of reach from children.

Second-hand cannabis smoke

Second-hand cannabis smoke contains many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke and contains some of those chemicals in even higher quantities. Second-hand cannabis smoke also contains THC, the compound responsible for most of cannabis’ psychoactive effects (or the “high”). THC can be passed to bystanders through second-hand cannabis smoke. Children, pregnant women, seniors and others with pre-existing medical conditions exposed to THC are potentially at-risk for negative health effects.

Reduce the risks

To avoid the health risks from cannabis smoke, consider the following:

Using vaping/e-cigarette devices as an alternative to combustible dried flower products
Consuming edible products
Smoking outdoors or in a well-ventilated area
Create a smoke and vape free home and vehicle

Importantly, none of these methods of use are completely risk-free. If you do decide to smoke cannabis, be sure to use it outdoors and be considerate of others by moving away from any entrances, exits or windows to your home and your neighbours homes. The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Regulation sets a six-metre smoke- and vape-free zone around all doorways, air intakes and open windows to any public and work places in B.C.

Cannabis use & early child development

Cannabis use by pregnant and breastfeeding women can negatively impact their health and the health of their baby. There is no time that is considered ‘safe’ to use cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding, particularly because human brain development begins during fetal development and continues until around age 25.

Cannabis & pregnancy

There are over 400 chemical compounds found in cannabis, some of which may be harmful to your in utero baby. Maternal cannabis use may be linked to adverse health effects relating to a child’s’:

Memory function
Ability to pay attention
Reasoning and problem solving skills
Hyperactive behaviour
Increased risk of depression or anxiety
Increased risk for future substance use

Cannabis use during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with low-birth weight, preterm labour and stillbirth.

Cannabis & breastfeeding

During breastfeeding, cannabis compounds are stored in the mothers’ body fat and passed to the baby through breast milk. In particular, the cannabinoid THC can be passed to your baby and may harm your baby’s development. There are alternative options to cannabis use for treating morning sickness, anxiety or pain. If you have any questions about cannabis use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or are seeking alternative medication options to cannabis, speak with your health-care provider.

Find more information on cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.