CDC confirms Potential Danger from Marijuana Edibles

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on July 28, 2015.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that there is a potential danger from consuming marijuana-infused edibles. The report cited the suicide of a 19-year-old student, who jumped to death from the 4th floor balcony of a Denver hotel in March 2014. The health experts at the CDC believe that risks of consuming marijuana-infused edibles cannot be dismissed outright.

The story involving Levy Thamba Pongi (19), a Wyoming Exchange student from the Republic of Congo, has raised several questions for sure. Levy, who was on a visit to Colorado in March 2014, ate a marijuana cookie given by a friend. He knew that there were 6 servings contained in the single cookie. Although he was instructed to eat one serving, which contained 10 mg, he went on to finish the entire cookie and later jumped to death.

The autopsy conducted on Levy Thamba Pongi, had found 7.2 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood in his body. In Colorado, individuals are not allowed to drive if their blood contains 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood.

The CDC sought to prove that marijuana edibles have delayed effects (1-2 hours) as against the smoking (5-10 minutes). “This case illustrates a potential danger associated with recreational edible marijuana use,” the CDC said. It also revealed that food, drink and pills infused with THC — the high-inducing compound in marijuana — account for roughly 45 percent of licensed pot sales.

It can be recalled that Colorado had legalized the recreational marijuana in 2014. Supporters of marijuana, find no big surprise in the findings of CDC, saying marijuana should be used within the permissible limits only, or else it would lead to a life risk. They believe that it's known to everyone and anybody who uses pot beyond the permissible limits, is in fact, putting his/her life in danger.

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