NYS Senator Dean Murray (R,C-Medford) and Assemblywoman Giglio (R,C-Riverhead) are working together on legislation in response to a recent edible cannabis gummy consumption incident involving children at school.
Earlier this month William Floyd Middle School had an incident where a student handed out edible THC (cannabis) gummies to 12 students who all fell ill and were taken to the hospital. All students were treated and later released. The Suffolk County Police Department and local EMTs responded en masse to provide care. Investigations are ongoing and no further information has been released.
Murray and Giglio introduced legislation (S3640/A5827) that would require all edible cannabis products to be packaged in child-resistant packaging. Cannabis has been decriminalized in New York and can be sold legally and at the same time protections in packaging are a must for any drug whether it be cannabis, tobacco, or pharmaceuticals.
Superintendent of William Floyd Schools, Kevin Coster, said “We are supportive and thankful to Senator Murray and Assemblywoman Giglio for their attempts to regulate the packaging of these products.”
The legislation requires that warning labels on edible cannabis products be displayed and imposes criminal violations and restrictions on the sale of adult-use cannabis products to children.
Murray said, “There appears to be an uptick in the enforcement of the rules and laws regarding the sale of adult-use cannabis products... With one glaring shortfall... and that is what seems to be a growing trend of targeting children.”
“Here we are, 4 years later, trying to fix a problem that was created by 1 party rule in Albany. Edible cannabis products, particularly those in the form of candies, gummies, and chocolates, can pose significant risks to children if not properly packaged and stored. Due to their resemblance to common snack foods, there have been incidents where children accidentally consume these products, leading to overdoses’” said Giglio
The lawmakers emphasized that public education efforts are also important to inform caregivers and parents about the potential dangers and the importance of keeping cannabis products securely stored out of reach of children.
Bob Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association said, “We share the concerns expressed by our legislators and we would support measures that would protect our children from accidental exposure to these products. Exposure to alcohol or other substances like cannabis can have long-term emotional and physical impacts on our youth and we need to make them and the parents aware of this through prevention, education, and awareness initiatives in our communities.”