532 - Unintentional Pediatric Cannabis Exposure: Exploring Storage Practices

Publication Number: 2517.532

Rebecca S. Templeton, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, Wallingford, CT, United States; Vanessa Infante, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, United States; Katrina Etts, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, United States; Sharon Smith, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, CT, United States

Background: Unintentional cannabis ingestion among children has become an emerging public health concern, especially in states with legalized cannabis. Young children are particularly vulnerable due to physiologic susceptibility and the increasing availability of edible cannabis products resembling candy or baked goods.

Objective: To identify caregiver and community level factors influencing cannabis storage and pediatric exposure prevention among caregivers of children aged 0-6 years in Connecticut.

Design/Methods: This single-center, cross-sectional study recruited caregivers of children aged 0-6 years presenting to an urban pediatric emergency department. Participants completed a REDCap survey assessing demographics, cannabis use, storage behaviors, perceived risk, and access to educational resources. Cannabis products include all items derived from the plant, including CBD and THC. The primary outcome, safe storage, is defined as using both locked and hidden methods for storing cannabis in homes with children. Additional outcomes include perceived risk of pediatric exposure, measured by Likert-scale questions on harm from accidental ingestion and likelihood of child access.

Results: To date, 160 caregivers have participated in the survey. The majority lived in single-family homes (56.8%), and 24.1% reported cannabis use in the home, with edibles (60.6%), flower (57.6%), and vapes (42.4%) being the most common products. Among those storing cannabis, 34.75% reported locking edibles in a cabinet or container, while 12% locked vape products. Although 80.0% believed accidental ingestion would be very or extremely serious, only 13.3% had discussed cannabis safety with a healthcare provider. Most caregivers (84.4%) strongly agreed cannabis should be stored like medications, and 57.8% strongly felt they had access to safe storage tools. Reported barriers to safe storage included lack of knowledge (11.1%), cost of storage devices (8.9%), and housing limitations (6.7%).

Conclusion(s): These findings highlight gaps in cannabis safety practices. While most acknowledged the seriousness of cannabis ingestion and safe storage principles, actual implementation of best practices was inconsistent. Reported barriers, such as lack of knowledge, cost, and housing limitations, suggest the need for targeted public health interventions, provider-led education, and increased access to storage solutions.

Figure 1. Storage of Different Cannabis Products
Reported storage practices among caregivers who use cannabis products in the home. Bars represent the percentage of caregivers who store various product types (edibles, flower, vapes) using different storage methods.

Figure 2. Participant Demographic Characteristics
Self-reported demographic breakdown of caregivers participating in the study. The majority identified as female (71.6%) and White (50.7%), with their children averaging 2.75 years of age. Race/ethnicity and gender identity distributions reflect the diversity of the urban pediatric emergency department population sampled.