SHERIFF SAFETY NOTICE – THC/ DELTA 8 GUMMIES

SHERIFF SAFETY NOTICE – THC/ DELTA 8 GUMMIES
Jefferson, N.C. – Sheriff B. Phil Howell would like to take a moment to discuss
child safety after a recent accidental overdose by two minors. This past
weekend, two minors were transported to Brenner Children’s Hospital in
Winston-Salem after eating what appeared to be normal “gummy” candy. The
candy bag looked similar to others, but the gummies contained THC/DELTA
8. Both children have returned to Ashe County and are no longer in the
hospital.

As a reminder, it is still illegal to use and/or purchase some cannabis-derived
products. Marijuana and hemp are different as the concentration of
CBD/THC levels are not the same. Marijuana contains a higher amount of
THC, which produces the euphoric feeling it is known for. THC is the central
psychoactive part of cannabis that produces the feeling of “getting high.”
DELTA 8 is derived from a hemp plant extract. It can be legally purchased by adults.
According to the Children’s Hospital Colorado, “The most common overdose incidents in
children occur when the drug has been combined with food in an “edible” form of
marijuana. This is because marijuana ingested in this manner can have a stronger
and prolonged effect, especially in children under the age of 12 years old. In these instances,
kids mistake “edible” marijuana (like gummy bears, brownies, lollipops, etc.) for regular food and eat it unknowingly. Small children are at higher risk based on their size and weight. Because edible products have very high amounts of marijuana, the symptoms are more severe in a small child. Many young children who consume marijuana edibles require hospital admission
due to the severity of their symptoms.”

“As a parent, we are all concerned about new trends making their way to our children. Education starts at home but parents must remain vigilant in monitoring what your child brings home and how they act. Remind them that just because something looks fun and similar, it may contain something harmful. It breaks my heart to think a small child could ingest a THC/DELTA 8 gummy, and they MAY DIE”. ~ Sheriff Howell FDA Consumer Statistics on Delta-8 THC Patients. The FDA received 104 reports of adverse events in patients who consumed delta-8 THC products between December 1, 2020, and February 28, 2022. Of these 104 adverse event:
• 77% involved adults, 8% involved pediatric patients less than 18 years of age, and
15% did not report age.
• 55% required intervention (e.g., evaluation by emergency medical services) or
hospital admission.
• 66% described adverse events after ingestion of delta-8 THC-containing food
products (e.g., brownies, gummies).
National poison control centers received 2,362 exposure cases of delta-8 THC
products between January 1, 2021 (i.e., date that delta-8 THC product code was
added to database), and February 28, 2022. Of the 2,362 exposure cases:
• 58% involved adults, 41% involved pediatric patients less than 18 years of age, and
1% did not report age.
• 40% involved unintentional exposure to delta-8 THC and 82% of these
unintentional exposures affected pediatric patients.
• 70% required health care facility evaluation, of which 8% resulted in admission to a
critical care unit; 45% of patients requiring health care facility evaluation were
pediatric patients.
• One pediatric case was coded with a medical outcome of death.