Imported pot 'treats' threat to kids, dogs

One thing about bringing "legal" marijuana back from Colorado.

Don't. Just don't.

For one, it's no longer legal once you cross the state line

For another, it's an edible marijuana product, you could be placing your family and pets in medical danger as well as yourself in legal jeopardy.

In Wisconsin, a 3-year-old boy accidentally ate marijuana-laced candy left on a table by his father, who brought it home from Colorado.

An Oregon boy got sick after an outing to a rock quarry -- he found a cookie in a wrapper on the ground and ate it, always a bad idea.

"I felt like I was vibrating up and down," Jackson hart said. "And that everything wasn't real."

His mom took him to the hospital to be treated for marijuana poisoning.

The Wisconsin boy was minimally responsive when he reached the hospital. Young children can't metabolize the drug, and the THC can suppress their respiratory rate to the point they suffer brain damage, both from the drug and the lack of oxygen.

A 2015 report shows the number of marijuana poisonings has doubled since pot became legal in Washington in 2013.

Of the 272 marijuana calls in 2015, 46 percent were for people under 19. The majority of calls, 24 percent, were for kids 13 to 19.

And, if you think chocolate is bad for dogs, which it is, consider the outcome if it's a marijuana brownie.

The Pet Poison Helpline, a 24-hour pet poison control center, has seen a four-fold increase in calls concerning pets experiencing marijuana intoxication over the past three years, the greatest jump over the last year.

Symptoms are typically stumbling, head-bobbing, lethargy and dribbling urine.

The best course of action is to keep tempting marijuana treats out of your cars and homes altogether.

Barring that, keep your phone handy to call 911, your veterinarian, health care provider or the Nebraska Regional Poison Center, 1-800-222-1222.