Police: Don’t underestimate risks of edible marijuana products

Hollister police want parents to know that edible marijuana is no joke. Last week, two kids, 14 and 15 years old, were hospitalized after sharing a cannabis-laced cookie.

Officers tell KION that medical marijuana is more potent than many users realize and the effects from edible products take longer to appear. Police say the delayed reaction can lead users to overdose, ingesting more than is considered safe.

“There’s been times where the recommended dosage is one-sixteenth of a cookie. And when was the last time you cut a cookie sixteen equal pieces and ingested one little piece of it?” said Captain Carlos Reynoso with Hollister Police. “When you eat these edibles, you have to be really careful about the dosage.”

According to police, THC levels in edibles are much higher than they used to be. In some cases, products can have about 90%.

Officials say the teens who got sick are okay and were released from the hospital. Also, a 16 year old was arrested on several charges related to the incident.