One of the potential problems with edibles is that they can be hard to differentiate from regular food. Sometimes, this confusion leads to accidental consumption. That’s exactly what happened recently in Arizona, with a woman arrested after toddler eats cannabis-infused mac and cheese.
Baby Eats Cannabis Mac and Cheese
As reported by local news outlet AZFamily, a 25-year-old woman in Tempe, Arizona was recently arrested after her almost two-year-old daughter accidentally consumed cannabis macaroni and cheese. As a result, Alaina Marie Limpert was charged with one count of child abuse.
Police reports said that Limpert made macaroni and cheese with THC-infused butter. The edible was reportedly intended for her husband. But at some point, the baby found the mac and cheese and ate some of it.
A witness who saw what happened eventually reported the incident to authorities. Two days later, the Department of Child Safety showed up and took custody of the baby, as well as two other children living in the home. Hospital reports later confirmed that the baby did indeed have THC in her system.
The police report makes clear that the toddler felt the effects of the THC.
“It was witnessed inside of the residence that [they] both laughed about the side effects the child experienced during that time,” the police report stated.
The report added: “During that time, neither parent took the child to immediate emergency care.” Instead, authorities said that Limpert and her husband “proceeded to place [the infant] into their backyard pool to use the cold water to ‘shock’ her.”
Limpert was arrested and booked with one count of child abuse. She is expected to return to court on April 19. In the meantime, the court barred her from interacting with any of her children. Reports so far indicate that Limpert’s husband has not been arrested or charged with anything related to the incident.
Final Hit: Woman Arrested After Toddler Eats Cannabis-Infused Mac and Cheese
When authorities searched Limpert’s home, they found three tubs of cannabutter in the refrigerator, as well as bongs and pipes. Additionally, they found hash oil and two cannabis grow tents in the garage. Cops also discovered mushrooms in the couple’s home.
This incident highlights one of the ongoing tensions surrounding the issue of cannabis legalization, and in particular, edibles. Many are concerned that edibles will lead to more and more cases like this, in which a person—especially a young person—mistakenly consumes THC.
This concern arises largely out of the fact that many edibles look like regular foods, which is exactly what happened with Limpert’s cannabis-infused mac and cheese. Many commercially-sold edibles are made in the form of recognizable snacks like gummy bears, brownies, and cookies. This has heightened concerns that children will accidentally eat them and experience negative or dangerous side effects.
To address these concerns, some states are outlawing certain types of edibles. For example, California is advancing a law to ban gummy bear-shaped edibles. Similarly, Colorado and Washington have also introduced stricter regulations on edibles in an attempt to keep them out of the hands of children.
