MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Children are accidentally consuming cannabis edibles at alarming rates, and experts say the products are difficult to distinguish from regular candy.
Watch the full broadcast here:
The Manitowoc Public School District is warning families of an increase in medical incidents involving students consuming gummies or other ingestible cannabis products.
Lisa Krueger, a parent in the district, said the message from the school was alarming.
"It was very scary knowing that somebody could be targeting our children and they might not be aware of the danger they are ingesting."
Krueger said the message was a reminder of how important it is to talk with kids about what they're consuming.
The concern extends far beyond the Lakeshore area. A recent CNN study found accidental ingestions of recreational drugs among children under the age of 6 has risen more than 3,300 percent over 25 years. Cannabis products accounted for 77 percent of those ingestions, with edibles making up nearly half.
Ryan Feldman, a toxicologist with the Wisconsin Poison Center, said pediatric exposure to edible THC products is a growing problem.
"Pediatric exposure to edible THC products is incredibly common and rising," Feldman said.
Feldman said an edible is any product that contains cannabis compounds and is meant to be eaten. He said these products often look like a regular gummy, candy, or chocolate bar — making them especially appealing to children.
"It's rare that I meet a kid who doesn't want to eat the full chocolate bar, and these THC products are packaged where you are supposed to eat one tenth as a serving," he said. "Find me a kid who likes one tenth of a chocolate bar."
Feldman noted that while marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, THC products remain widely accessible - especially because its been legalized in several bordering states.
"We live in Wisconsin and marijuana is illegal yet you can walk into any gas station and buy THC products."
Doctors say THC intoxication in children can cause extreme sleepiness, confusion, vomiting, and problems with coordination. More serious cases can lead to breathing problems, seizures, or coma.
The Wisconsin Poison Center recommends storing edibles like any other medication — keeping them out of reach or locked away.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
