Two children hospitalized after eating cannabis gummies, northern Ont. man charged
A 45-year-old man from Sagamok First Nation is facing criminal charges after two young children were hospitalized in March for cannabis poisoning after consuming large cannabis-infused gummies left unattended in a home.
NO071825_ANISHINABEK
An Anishinabek Police Service officer is shown in uniform in this undated promotional image. (File photo/Supplied/Anishinabek Police Service)
The Anishinabek Police Service laid charges following a months-long investigation into the incident, which sent both children to intensive care.
The incident
On March 22, officers responded to a call at a Sagamok First Nation residence after two children under the age of five ingested cannabis edibles left in a plastic bag on a table.
According to police, the gummies were roughly the size of a cellphone – approximately 5 inches long, 1.5 inches wide and a quarter-inch thick. One child consumed an entire gummy, while the other ate half.
The remaining edibles were seized by authorities.
cannabis-infused gummy candy
Lime-flavoured cannabis-infused gummy candy is show in this file photo from June 2016. (File photo/Gillian Flaccus/AP Photo)
Both children exhibited symptoms of cannabis toxicity and were transported to hospital, where they were admitted to the intensive care unit.
'They have since recovered and have been released from hospital,' Anishinabek police said in a news release Tuesday.
Charges filed
As a result of the investigation, the accused has been charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and was released on an undertaking.
Authorities emphasized that community safety is a shared responsibility and urged anyone with information to contact investigators at 705-865-2868 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Rising risks of cannabis poisoning in children
Police officials say this case highlights growing concerns over accidental cannabis ingestion among children. Hospitals and the Ontario Poison Centre have reported an increase in emergency visits and calls related to cannabis poisoning, with most cases involving children under 12 – particularly those under five.
Severe cases can lead to:
Coma,
respiratory failure requiring a ventilator and
in rare instances death.
Anishinabek police, in their news release, reiterated the importance of safe storage and vigilance to prevent similar incidents and offered advice to avoid them.
How to prevent accidental cannabis exposure
Police and health officials warn that illegal, unregulated edibles – often packaged to resemble popular candy or snacks – pose a higher risk to children due to their appealing appearance.
Cannabis
Illegal or unregulated cannabis edibles are often packaged to resemble popular candy or snacks. Several pounds of marijuana and cannabis edibles seized by Ontario police in April 2021 are shown. (File photo/Supplied/Toronto Police Service)
Authorities recommend:
Purchasing only legal, regulated cannabis products with child-resistant packaging.
with child-resistant packaging. Storing edibles in locked containers , separate from regular food.
, separate from regular food. Clearly labelling cannabis products and keeping them out of sight and reach of children.
Parents are also advised to ask caregivers or hosts if cannabis is present in homes where their children visit.
Marijuana gummies
Edible marijuana samples are set aside for evaluation at a cannabis testing laboratory in this undated photo. (File photo/THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Chris Carlson)
Signs of cannabis poisoning & emergency response
If a child shows symptoms such as vomiting, drowsiness, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, agitation or anxiety, seek immediate medical help by going to the nearest hospital or calling 911.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
Men accounted for 77% of drowning deaths in B.C. last year, coroner says
Of the nearly 100 drowning deaths in B.C. last year, 77 per cent were men, according to a report from the B.C. Coroners Service. This information comes just a few weeks after the drowning death of 27-year-old international student Jatin Garg in Kamloops, B.C., who died after he went into the Thompson River to retrieve a volleyball in early July. Only a few weeks prior to Garg's death, a 29-year-old Burnaby man drowned in Cabin Lake, in Cypress Provincial Park. According to police, he had been swimming across the lake with his fiancée when suddenly he started to struggle. "This is something that is preventable, and that makes it even more tragic," said Lenea Grace, the Lifesaving Society's executive director for B.C. and Yukon. Grace said 2024 was not unusual, as men often make up the majority of drowning deaths each year in B.C. "Men tend to engage in riskier behaviours, overestimate their physical abilities, and we also see trends in males not wearing PFDs (personal flotation devices) while boating and fishing as well," she said. "There could be some, you know, issues about wanting to be cool or, you know, thinking they don't need it because they know how to swim. And the reality is that when people are boating, everyone needs a life jacket, no matter what your age or ability or gender is." This week is National Drowning Prevention Week — an annual reminder about water safety — prompting the Lifesaving Society, B.C. Emergency Health Services and the B.C. Coroners Service to share statistics on drowning deaths in an effort to educate British Columbians about preventing deaths in, on and around water. The report shows there were 98 drowning deaths in B.C. in 2024, more than half of which occurred from June to September. Thirty-three of those deaths happened in the Interior Health region. Grace said that's largely due to Okanagan Lake, where 28 drowning deaths have been recorded in the past decade. Of the many bodies of water across B.C., the Fraser River and Okanagan Lake have been the most deadly in terms of drownings over the past 10 years. Grace said that's largely due to people not wearing lifejackets and using substances while on the water. Twenty-two of the drowning deaths in 2024 happened when someone fell into the water, followed by 18 where the individual was swimming and 14 deaths that happened in the bathtub. "We really want to encourage parents to actively supervise their children and watch their kids, not your phone, when your kids are in the bathtub," Grace said. Not included in the coroner's report is how many newcomers to Canada die as a result of drowning, but Grace said they are four times more likely to be unable to swim compared to people born in Canada. "It's really important that new Canadians receive this kind of crucial water safety education," Grace said. "We really want to encourage families to enroll their children and themselves. Adult lessons are available ... or, at the very minimum, swim to survive, which is the Canadian minimum standard for surviving a fall into water. She is urging everyone in B.C., whether a newcomer or not, to take swimming lessons if they haven't already.
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
Two vehicle crash sends four to hospital in Oxford County
Social Sharing One person is in critical condition, and three others are injured, after a two vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Oxford County, east of London. Provincial police and emergency crews were called to the intersection of Oxford Road 8 and 16th Line, in the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock, at around 3:30 p.m, police said. Two individuals have non-life-threatening injuries, one has serious but non-life-threatening injuries and the other person's injuries are serious. They all came from the same vehicle. The investigation is ongoing. Oxford Road 8 was closed Tuesday between 15th and 17th Line, as was 16th Line at Braemar Sideroad and Oxford Road 5, however they have since reopened.
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
Regina police official pleased with city's improved 2024 crime stats
The amount of crime and the severity of it in Regina decreased in 2024, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. Regina's crime severity index fell by 11 per cent in 2024. That stat measures the number of crimes reported by police per 100,000 people, combined with a weighted scale of how severe the crimes were. Regina now ranks 11th in the country for the crime severity index, compared to ninth a year ago. Regina ranked ninth for its crime rate in 2024, which decreased by seven per cent over the previous year. The city has consistently ranked above the national average for crime severity. "I can recall the days when Regina was No. 1 for crime severity and crime rate," said Regina Police Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies. "When we're not in the top five, that makes me happy," said Davies. "But it doesn't mean that we still don't have work to do because it would be great not to be in the top 20." Potential reasons behind decrease Davies said the city benefited from a national downward trend in crime, but that officers having higher visibility in the community was one reason for Regina's crime decrease. "We really value meeting with our stakeholders, meeting with communities so that we can discuss issues and work collaboratively together," said Davies. Overall, Davies said that most of the Canadian cities with high levels of crime are in Western Canada. In the Prairies, there are long-standing issues affecting marginalized and vulnerable people, which can lead to higher incarceration rates, said Davies. So far in 2025, Davies said Regina crime rates are down in all areas, except for arson, which she called "a pressure point." "For the most part, we are trending in a good direction right now," said Davies.
