Among children under 6 who accidentally ate THC edibles, doses over 30 mg led to severe symptoms in 28% of cases, with 84% experiencing moderate to major effects including central nervous system depression (66%) and respiratory depression (17%).
Parents, pediatricians, poison control specialists, cannabis regulators setting packaging limits, and emergency medicine physicians.
What the researchers found
Of 61 children who ingested >30 mg THC, 28% developed severe symptoms, 84% had moderate/major effects, 66% experienced CNS depression, and 17% had respiratory depression — establishing 30 mg as a critical threshold for severe pediatric toxicity.
Why it matters
With edibles increasingly available in homes with children, this study identifies a specific dose threshold (30 mg) that should guide product packaging limits, childproofing requirements, and parent education.
The numbers in context
N=132 children <6 years; 61 ingested >30 mg THC; 28% severe symptoms at >30 mg; 84% moderate/major effects; 66% CNS depression; 17% respiratory depression
How the study worked
Retrospective review of Oregon Poison Center records over three years for single-substance edible THC ingestions in children under 6, limited to cases with reliable dose reports and complete follow-up data (n=132).
What this study cannot tell us
Single poison center; retrospective design; dose estimates based on parental reports of product consumed; cannot verify actual THC content; selection bias toward reported cases; small subgroup at higher doses; 3-year window.
How to read the evidence
Poison center data provides real-world clinical evidence of dose-response, though limited by retrospective design and parental dose estimates.
When this study was published
Published 2026; 3-year Oregon Poison Center data.
The bigger picture
As more states legalize cannabis, accidental pediatric edible ingestions are rising — this dose-response data can directly inform product regulations limiting individual serving sizes and total package THC content.
Questions still open
- Should maximum package THC content be regulated to prevent severe pediatric outcomes? Are current child-resistant packaging requirements sufficient? What is the minimum dose that causes any symptoms in young children?
Common questions
How much THC is dangerous for a child?
What happens when a child eats a THC edible?
Read the original research
Minimum tetrahydrocannabinol dose that produces severe symptoms in children.
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 64(1), 59-61
Citation
Hendrickson, Robert G; Horowitz, Keahi M; Cowdery, Colleen P. (2026). Minimum tetrahydrocannabinol dose that produces severe symptoms in children.. Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 64(1), 59-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2025.2562305
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