Marijauna edibles provide relief for many types of medical patients, including those who deal with pain and loss of appetite. For those who don’t want to light up a joint or want to know how much THC they are eating, edibles offer a way to control your dose in one delicious package. Moms around the country have caught onto marijuana as a way to be a bit more patient and relaxed around their kids, and edibles are an easy way to do so without stinking up the house.
However, there can be sinister and unexpected consequences to eating edibles, especially if you are unlucky enough to pick up chocolates, cookies, gummies, or tinctures that have somehow become contaminated with dangerous and life-threatening chemicals.
Pesticides, Chemicals, and Dangerous Bacteria
While contaminated concentrates have been found in many popular vape brands recently, contaminated edibles have been an issue since before legalization happened in many places, and one of the biggest concerns is food safety.
Food safety is a complicated issue, and the safety surrounding edibles is made even more complex by the fact that marijauna remains federally illegal, and thus does not fall under the jurisdiction of the US Food and Drug Administration. Despite marijuana being legal, decriminalized, or used for medical purposes in 43 out of 50 states, this means there are no federal guidelines for food safety in cannabis-infused edibles, and this in turn can lead to contamination at any step along the supply chain. Foodborne outbreaks have been associated with edibles in the past and probably will be again in the future due to these issues.
Even if food safety was theoretically followed to the letter by each manufacturer, distributor, and retailer, this does not prevent trace amounts of pesticides from showing up in lab tests of edibles. At different points of production, the food may be exposed to other dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to the end user. Mold can also cause issues–if the product is allowed to develop mold spores prior to THC extraction, then mold can make its way into the final edible product and cause health issues to the person who consumes it.
Any of these contaminants can cause health issues, so it is important to see your doctor right away if you suspect you’ve eaten a contaminated edible. Consuming pesticides or becoming sickened by E.coli or other bacteria is dangerous, and should not be treated lightly.
What to Do If You Eat a Contaminated Edible
It’s hard to know if the products you pick up from your local marijuana retailer or medical supplier are contaminated. After all, it’s not as if the average person owns the lab equipment needed to test each of their marijuana purchases, so most consumers have to trust that the products they are purchasing are safe when that is not the case. However, if you develop unusual symptoms after consuming a marijuana edible, such as diarrhea, vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, and chills, these could be signs that the products you’ve eaten have been contaminated in some way. E.coli can cause the symptoms listed above, but other types of chemicals may not even cause any issues until you’ve consumed a large amount of them over time.
The symptoms will differ depending upon the type and level of contamination, but becoming sick after consuming an edible is not normal. See a doctor immediately to determine the exact cause of your issue and be as truthful as possible about its source–chances are, the doctors have seen something similar in the past.
While it can be terrifying to get sick after consuming something that normally makes you feel good, don’t panic. Once you’ve obtained medical help, the next step is ensuring that no one else has to go through this same thing by holding the retailer or manufacturer responsible for their misstep. Marijuana generally goes through an extensive testing process in just about every state where it is legal, but there will always be some things that slip through the cracks and cause issues for people. Calling a lawyer might be the next thing to do after you’re feeling well to ensure this never happens again, while also helping you to collect money to pay your medical bills.
Be Safe While Getting High
The legalization of marijuana across the United States has been a landmark step for the country, but there are still pockets of unsolved problems that are standing in the way. One of these is food safety, something that is not often talked about in regards to marijuana edibles. Go with a brand you trust, but do your homework about that brand to ensure that consuming their products is a safe and healthy choice. If other customers have reported health issues in the past due to a brand, it’s probably best to avoid those particular products and find ones that have top-notch testing facilities to ensure brand quality.
Getting high shouldn’t be a scary or dangerous activity–it’s meant to relax the mind and body. Do your own research and find a brand of edibles that you can trust so that you can be relaxed and serene while you run after your kids.