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New study should inspire parents to keep marijuana locked up

On Behalf of | May 29, 2013 | Drug Charges

Colorado residents now generally have the legal right to possess and grow certain amounts of marijuana recreationally and medicinally. New state marijuana laws have helped to ensure that marijuana use is an increasingly personal choice, even though partaking in it may have some undesired consequences.

For example, because marijuana remains a controlled substance under federal law, it is possible that users and growers could be prosecuted on a federal level. In addition, employers may choose to discipline employees who fail routine drug tests. However, perhaps the most unsavory unintended consequence of statewide legalization of recreational usage is that more and more children are accidentally ingesting the drug.

According to data compiled by Children’s Hospital Colorado, more and more children are requiring emergency care for ingesting dangerously high doses of marijuana. These kids are ingesting both food products containing the drug and other forms of it. Young children are notorious for putting everything in their mouths and older children may not realize that certain sweets are not intended for them.

As a Colorado adult, you have the right to use and grow certain amounts of marijuana under state law. But if you fail to attend to your drugs properly, your children could get into them and these drugs could do them harm. In addition, judges may not look favorably upon parents who have allowed these kinds of accidents to occur. For the benefit of your children and for your own legal protection, please lock up all marijuana-related products in your home.

Source: TIME, “More Kids Accidentally Ingesting Marijuana Following New Drug Policies,” Bonnie Rochman, May 28, 2013