Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Denver (Agenzia Fides) - The consumption of marijuana is legal in 18 States and in Washington. In Colorado baked food, candies and fizzy drinks containing this so-called light drug, is sold to relieve pain, for example, for people who suffer from cancer, HIV and other diseases. In 2012, Colorado and the State of Washington voted in favor of the legalization of small doses for painkiller use. Following the complaints of some children who were seriously ill after swallowing marijuana, a group of experts for the Treatment of Poisoning and Drugs Centre of Rocky Mountain in Denver, reviewed 1,400 records of first aid carried out on some young children for accidental ingestion between 2005 and 2011 in the pediatric hospital in Colorado. What was highlighted was the fact that in October 2009, none of the 790 children with symptoms of accidental poisoning had traces of marijuana in urine. In 2009, following the legalization of the drug for medical use, 14 of the 588 children assisted had swallowed marijuana. The children were aged between 8 months and 12 years of age. Eight were hospitalized. The most common symptom was lack of strength, even if some arrived with breathing difficulties. Experts say they are concerned about the level of sedation that this drug causes in young children, making them feel sleepy and causing breathing problems. In children, in fact marijuana causes problems to the central nervous system, brain and respiratory system. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 03/06/2013)
