Accidental Cannabis Edible Ingestion in Two Toddlers Revealed Very Slow THC Elimination | Research

The takeaway

Two children aged 12 and 15 months who accidentally ingested cannabis edibles had peak THC blood levels of 45-55 mcg/L, with THC taking 22-53 hours to clear by half, far slower than in adults.

Emergency physicians, pediatricians, poison control specialists, parents

THC half-life in these toddlers was 22-53 hours, far exceeding typical adult clearance

What the researchers found

Peak plasma THC concentrations were 45.0 mcg/L in Case 1 and 54.7 mcg/L in Case 2. THC elimination was remarkably slow: half-life was 52.5 hours in Case 1 and 21.7 hours in Case 2 (adult half-life is typically 1-3 hours for intravenous THC). CBD was barely detectable. The clinical presentation was nonspecific, which initially delayed diagnosis.

Why it matters

Accidental cannabis edible ingestion by children is an increasing public health concern. This study reveals that very young children eliminate THC far more slowly than adults, meaning effects may last much longer and blood testing remains positive for extended periods.

The numbers in context

Case 1: peak THC 45.0 mcg/L, t1/2 52.5 hours, kel 0.013 h-1; Case 2: peak THC 54.7 mcg/L, t1/2 21.7 hours, kel 0.031 h-1; CBD: undetectable in Case 1, only 1.11 mcg/L in first sample of Case 2; ages 12 and 15 months

How the study worked

Case series of two pediatric patients (12 and 15 months old) who unintentionally ingested cannabis edibles. Four plasma samples per patient were collected and analyzed using validated LC-MS/MS. Non-compartmental analysis calculated toxicokinetic profiles.

What this study cannot tell us

Only two cases, exact amount ingested unknown, individual variation in elimination may be large, limited serial sampling (four samples each), cannot generalize elimination half-lives from two patients

How to read the evidence

Case report of only two patients; provides novel toxicokinetic data but cannot establish generalizable pediatric THC parameters

When this study was published

Published 2025

The bigger picture

As cannabis edibles become more common in homes, accidental pediatric exposures will likely increase. The finding that THC elimination in infants may take 2-4 times longer than in adults has direct implications for emergency room management and monitoring duration.

Questions still open

Why do infants eliminate THC so much more slowly than adults? Should emergency departments extend monitoring duration for pediatric cannabis ingestion? Would age-specific dosing nomograms help predict resolution?

Common questions

How long does THC stay in a child's system after accidental ingestion?

In these two toddlers, THC took 22-53 hours to decrease by half, much longer than the typical 1-3 hour half-life in adults. This means effects and detectable blood levels could persist for days.

What are the symptoms of accidental cannabis ingestion in children?

The clinical presentation was initially nonspecific, leading to delayed diagnosis. This underscores the importance of toxicological screening when young children present with unexplained neurological symptoms.

Read the original research

Accidental cannabis intoxication in two young children: clinical presentation and toxicokinetics - a case series.

Frontiers in pharmacology, 16, 1695194

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Cafaro, Alessia; Pigliasco, Federica; Barco, Sebastiano; Negro, Ilaria; Piccotti, Emanuela; Manfredini, Luca; Mahameed, Samir; Bandettini, Roberto; Debbia, Carla; Mattioli, Francesca; Cangemi, Giuliana. (2025). Accidental cannabis intoxication in two young children: clinical presentation and toxicokinetics - a case series.. Frontiers in pharmacology, 16, 1695194. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1695194