Four children, ages 12 to 15, experienced a distressing incident at Camp Westwood YMCA in Coventry, Rhode Island, after ingesting CBD gummies, leading to their hospitalization last Thursday, as reported by NBC10 Boston. First responders arrived on the scene to find the youths vomiting, a response understood to be concerning as per Western Coventry Fire Captain Robert Mann, who stated to NBC10 Boston, "The good part of it is they were conscious, and they can maintain their own airway so that they could vomit."
The campers were taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital, and while there's currently no detail on the quantity of gummies consumed, the situation raised concerns due to the increasing occurrences in which first responders have had to address incidents of children ingesting CBD products, as per Mann's interview with NBC10 Boston, which has its own implications and concerns because it's a lot of medical issues that have to be looked into considering the unknown factors of what and how much the children took. YMCA of Pawtucket CEO Jeff Merhige disclosed to 12 News that one of the children had brought the gummies and shared them in a bathroom, away from the watchful eyes of counselors.
Merhige, in a statement to NBC 10 Boston, praised the responsive actions of the camp staff: "The camp immediately called Town emergency services out of an abundance of caution, and the campers affected were taken for medical observation. We are continuing to monitor this situation, and commend our staff for being proactive in this incident." The investigation into the episode is ongoing, and local authorities await test results from the Rhode Island Department of Health to determine the precise contents of the ingested gummies.
CBD, short for cannabidiol and a derivative of cannabis, is utilized to manage anxiety and insomnia amongst other conditions it doesn't cause high but the legal parameters in Rhode Island are set such that only individuals at least 21 years old are authorized to purchase hemp-derived CBD products due to the revised Hemp Growth Act. Children consuming CBD or any cannabis-derived product can face significant risks; if such an incident occurs, authorities like the R.I. Department of Health advise to promptly seek medical attention or contact poison control, watching for symptoms including nausea, vomiting, loss of coordination, dizziness, and excessive sleepiness, as per the guidelines shared by 12 News.
