With the opening of two dispensaries in Riverhead, including the largest cannabis store in the state, marijuana products have become more accessible than ever. This ease of access requires keeping these products secure from both children and pets.
The Riverhead Community Awareness Program (CAP) is providing free locking, scent proof bags for local adults to store their cannabis products in.
“The point is to really address underage children and pets of having access to cannabis in the homes,” said Isabella Marcucci, coalition coordinator at Riverhead CAP. “So the bag is kind of a tool in a larger prevention model that legal adults can use in their homes or if they are accessing cannabis.”
While the locking bag is useful, Ms. Marcucci stressed that it is also important to use marijuana responsibly. She suggested not to use cannabis products in front of children and keep the items out of sight and reach of young people and pets. Much like a liquor cabinet is a deterrent against underage drinking, securing cannabis helps prevent underage use.
“Everyone can agree that, you know, regardless of your views on cannabis use, we don’t want to get it into the hands of young children or pets, because it can be harmful for them to ingest these cannabis products,” said Ms. Marcucci.
Because edibles and cannabis-infused drinks can look exactly like candy or sodas, it’s important to keep these items completely separate from the general food and drink supply.
“A lot of the products can look like candy or snacks to young children. So if you do have those products, keeping it separate from their snacks and [consider] having a second refrigerator that you keep just edible products in, so that children can’t confuse it,” said Ms. Marcucci.
When it comes to pets, knowing the symptoms of cannabis exposure can take the mystery out of what might be affecting them. According to Emma Lasurdo, a veterinary technician at East End Veterinary Center, the hospital sees at least one case of marijuana poisoning a week.
[People say] ‘We were out on a walk earlier,’ or ‘I was out of the house, and they were fine earlier, and now, all of a sudden, they’re lethargic, they’re wobbly, they’re stumbling,’” said Ms. Lasurdo. “Some will be very flinchy, if you move your hand in front of their face, they will react very strongly. They will [also] either pee on themselves or the owner, or they’ll drip and leak urine. Sometimes they’ll vomit, or they’ll have some like hyper-salivation. They’ll be nauseous. Those are definitely the most common symptoms.”
It’s important to remember that, for the most part, the treatment for cannabis exposure is rest and hydration. The vet may also prescribe an anti-nausea medication. In rare instances, a pet may need to be hospitalized for observation and IV fluids.
“They’re going to just kind of sleep it off. But as long as they’re still rousable, like you can still get them to get up and, you know, you call their name and they respond, then we’re not as concerned,” said Ms. Lasurdo. “It’s very dependent on the size of the dog, how much it got into — if it was edibles versus flower, since edibles tend to be much stronger and last for longer. Those are the ones that we worry a little bit more about.”
Since legalization has taken hold, Ms. Lasurdo said people are more willing to admit that their pet got into their supply. Still, some are reluctant to say exactly what they think happened.
“Just tell us what your dog ate. If your dog just got into marijuana, that is much better than [other poisons],” said Ms. Lasurdo. “Just tell us your dog got into weed. … We’re not judging. We just want to make your pet feel better.”
While most cats will not ingest cannabis, it can’t be ruled out completely.
“For the most part, cats are good about not just eating things around the house that they shouldn’t, especially things like that. That’s more of a dog thing. A cat’s not as likely to eat a joint or eat a gummy,” said Ms. Lasurdo. “But … some of them do eat these things. They’ll eat medications that aren’t theirs. So, I have not seen any cats come in that have ingested cannabis, but I’m sure there are some out there.”
Riverhead CAP also offers prescription medication disposal kits as part of their mission to keep the community safe. The locking cannabis bag or medication disposal kits can be requested by calling Riverhead CAP at or with an online form at riverheadcap.org.
Ms. Marcucci stated that there is no judgement about cannabis use, only concern and care.
“We’re just really excited about getting all these prevention materials into the hands of Riverhead residents, because Riverhead is such a great community, and everyone really does care about keeping our youth safe. This is just another tool that we can use to keep our children and pets safe and healthy,” said Ms. Marcucci.
by Riverhead News Review - Times Review
