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By The Skanner News | The Skanner News
Published: 16 July 2015

Health Officials Report Increase in Edible Marijuana Intoxication in Kids

An increasing number of King County residents are being poisoned by eating edible marijuana products, and health officials warn that children are particularly at risk. According to the Washington Poison Center (WAPC), the number of marijuana edible intoxications reported in King County in 2014 was 73 percent higher than in 2013, and there is an upward trend in 2015. Children 5 years of age and younger accounted for roughly 30% of all edible marijuana intoxication reports in 2014. Seventy-three percent of children required evaluation at a hospital.

Most intoxications among children occur when a child finds marijuana-containing products such as candy, chocolate or baked goods left unattended in the home. In 2014, children under the age of 18 years accounted half of intoxication reports related to chocolate and candy edibles, and more than a quarter of reports related to ingestion of marijuana-containing baked goods.

Marijuana intoxication in children can lead to anxiety attacks, psychotic-like symptoms, seizures, and respiratory depression. Although most cases do not require hospital admission or result in serious illness, children often require extensive and costly medical evaluations to rule out other causes of their symptoms.

Adults should all take steps to prevent children from marijuana intoxication and gaining access to edible marijuana.

Purchased and homemade edible marijuana products should be stored away from where children can see and gain access to them. Use containers that are securely sealed and not see-through. Consider putting “Mr. Yuk” stickers on the containers. Stickers may be ordered from the Washington Poison Center website: http://www.wapc.org/

Adults should avoid buying edible or infused marijuana products that appeal to children or look like commercially available non-marijuana products (including cakes, cookies, candy and sweets such as lollipops and gummy bears). If such products are sold, retailers should inform customers regarding safeguarding edible products from children and the potential for serious health consequences for children who consume marijuana.

Physicians who prescribe marijuana for medical conditions should counsel patients regarding safeguarding edible products from children and the potential for serious health consequences for children who consume marijuana.

Parents and others who need advice about possible marijuana poisoning should call Washington Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Seattle City Council Puts Honest Elections Initiative (I-122) on the Fall Ballot.

Supporters gathered in City Hall this afternoon to witness the City Council’s nearly unanimous vote to place Honest Elections Seattle (I-122) on the Seattle election ballot this fall. After collecting more than 33,000 voter signatures, Honest Elections volunteers and community members said they were elated to see the City Council swiftly pass the resolution to place I-122 on the fall ballot. The vote was nearly unanimous (8-1).

Key components of Initiative-122 include:

  • A ban on contributions from corporations that spend significant funds lobbying the city and corporations with large city contracts
  • Increased fines & penalties for election law violations
  • Lower contribution limits in all city races
  • Tighter campaign reporting deadlines and increased transparency
  • An innovative campaign finance program that will give voters four $25 “Democracy Vouchers” to donate to the qualified candidates of their choice, encouraging political participation by a broader set of Seattleites and allowing candidates to finance their campaigns with small donations instead of relying on the city’s wealthiest people and special interests
  • Spending caps for candidates that participate in the campaign finance program

 

Ports of Seattle and Tacoma welcome multi-billion dollar state transportation package

The ports of Tacoma and Seattle applaud the Washington State Legislature’s passage of a $16.2 billion transportation investment package that will benefit the state’s economy by speeding the movement of cargo through the ports and freight corridors.

The ports, business and community leaders have been advocating for funding to complete the key freight routes of State Route 509 in King County and State Route 167 in Pierce County, which are supported in the package.

The Washington State Department of Transportation estimates a completed SR 167 could fuel job growth to the tune of $10.1 billion.

According to studies commissioned by the Port of Seattle and cities of SeaTac and Des Moines, the completion of SR 509 will allow for development of more than 5 million square feet of office, retail and commercial space totaling nearly $700 million in new construction.

The transportation package also included a number of other investments to move cargo faster to and from the ports, including improvements on Interstate 5 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and on Interstate 90 in Snoqualmie Pass. In total, the state will invest nearly $3.25 billion in projects service the Puget Sound gateway.

 

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