Tompkins County officials warn of laced cannabis, underage consumption
Story by Jacob Mack, Ithaca Journal
Tompkins County Whole Health officials warned residents of the dangers of consuming unlicensed cannabis products including edibles and vapes just a week after a student nearly died of an unforeseen overdose in Dryden.
A statement from the Dryden Central School District alleges that a student collapsed on May 13 after taking a single inhale from what they believe to be a cannabis vape.
The district said the student was taken to a nearby hospital after staff used multiple doses of opioid overdose reversal medication Narcan to revive them.
Lab tests later confirmed the device – purchased from a convenience store without a license to sell marijuana products – contained traces of fentanyl, a powerful opioid with a lethal dose measuring smaller than a grain of rice.
An investigation by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office is still underway as officials attempt to determine where the device was purchased.
Safe cannabis buying practices
County health officials advised all adults who use tobacco, cannabis, or other substances and have children and youth in the household to keep those products locked away, out of sight and out of reach.
“Children and youth who use THC-containing products can become very ill and are at increased risk of unintentional poisoning,” the May 20 advisory statement from Tompkins County Whole Health said.
Edibles or “gummies” containing cannabis are catching the eye of young children in upstate New York as much as they are around the country, according to a recent interview with the Upstate New York Poison Center.
The center received 124 calls last year after kids ages five and under consumed edible cannabis products. The center covers 54 counties, but not Long Island, New York City or Westchester County.
“Even a small amount of cannabis can have a significant impact on young children, especially those five and under,” said Jeanna Marraffa, clinical director of the upstate poison center. “Swallowing cannabis can cause serious symptoms like drowsiness, trouble breathing, poor coordination, and even seizures.”
In 2022, 30.7% of 12th graders reported using cannabis in the past year, and 6.3% reported using cannabis daily in the past 30 days, according to the national Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Identifying, planning for overdose emergencies
Among adults, cannabis-related emergency room visits in New York leaped nearly 57% in the initial two years after the state legalized adult-use recreational cannabis in 2021.
According to Tompkins County Whole Health, signs of an opioid overdose include stupor, changes in pupillary size (pinpoint size pupils), cold and clammy skin, cyanosis (blue discoloration of the skin), coma and respiratory failure leading to death.
For a known poisoning emergency, call the Upstate New York Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
For a suspected or known opioid overdose emergency, dial 911 and administer Narcan (naloxone). County officials advised residents to carry Narcan at all times to be prepared for emergency situations.
People can request free Narcan via mail by requesting a shipment online at mattersnetwork.org.
Free Narcan kits and other overdose prevention resources are available at the Tompkins County Library, Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, REACH Medical, the Southern Tier AIDS Program, and other libraries, including Ulysses Philomathic, Southworth Public and Groton and Lansing libraries.
This article uses information from a Utica Observer-Dispatch article.
This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Tompkins County officials warn of laced cannabis, underage consumption.
