Two Young Siblings Hospitalized After Ingesting Pot-Infused Candies

Two young siblings, aged 3 and 5, were hospitalized in intensive care after consuming cannabis-infused candies containing THC and CBD. The children were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center exhibiting symptoms of confusion, blurred vision, and unsteadiness.

Medical staff determined the children suffered severe poisoning from the candies. According to Dr. Mohammed Hamad, a resident physician, each child ate two candies, with the packaging indicating each contained 20 mg of THC and 10 mg of CBD. The younger child, due to his lower body weight, was more severely affected.

Dr. Amir Fisher, a senior physician in the pediatric emergency department, explained that such poisonings primarily affect the central nervous system, causing symptoms like confusion and unsteady gait, though rarer, more severe effects like seizures or respiratory failure can occur. He noted that there is no specific antidote, and treatment is largely supportive.

Fortunately, the children were brought to the hospital early and without critical symptoms. "If they had eaten more candies, their lives could have been in danger," Dr. Fisher stated. The siblings were monitored in the ICU for 24 hours and were released in good condition after their symptoms did not worsen.

Talia Chernosvitov, deputy head nurse, emphasized the rarity of such high-dose exposure for children and urged parents to keep potentially dangerous products out of reach, as children's curiosity can lead them to ingest harmful substances.