When some elementary school students got sick after consuming THC edibles at a Windsor elementary school last week, a child realized something was wrong and contacted a parent. For parenting expert Sarah Rosensweet, that moment matters. “You want to be that first person that they come to if they’ve made a mistake or if they’re feeling unwell,” Rosensweet said. “You don’t want them to feel like they have to hide it.” She says that kind of response doesn’t happen by accident — it’s built through how parents talk to their kids about substances long before a situation arises. Talking about cannabis without making it taboo Rosensweet says conversations about cannabis and edibles should be ongoing and grounded in reality, not fear. “I think it’s important to not to not vilify substances and that they’re not bad or evil, but they’re really something for grown ups and that kids brains are still developing,” she said. “When you’re grown up, this is something that you might like to do also.” She warned that harsh or absolute messaging can have the opposite effect. “If you do vilify substances, that makes them more attractive and exciting,” Rosensweet said. With cannabis now legal and widely visible, she suggests using everyday moments as entry points. “You walk down the street and every other block has a cannabis shop,” she said. “So even just asking kids like, ‘hey, do you know what they sell at that store?’ … asking kids what they know is always a great place to start.” Why edibles are especially risky for kids Health officials say edibles pose particular risks for children because of their potency and delayed effects. Last week, Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, Medical Officer of Health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, told CTV News that symptoms can escalate quickly. “Anxiety, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and sometimes coma,” Aloosh said. He also cautioned against assuming cannabis products are harmless. “These are potent drugs that can have significant effects on different people,” he said. Rosensweet said that risk is often hidden by how edibles look. “One little candy can look so harmless,” she said. “Looks can be deceiving.” She believes parents should talk openly with kids about strength and dosage, even while being clear they don’t support underage use. Keeping communication open when mistakes happen Rosensweet said punishment or shame can shut down communication — especially when kids are already scared. “It doesn’t mean that you’re going to be happy if they’ve done something like eating an edible at school and gotten really sick,” she said. “But that you’re going to be the person who’s going to help them, rather than the person who’s going to make them feel terrible about their decision.” She also encourages parents to help kids practice saying no — or even give them permission to blame strict parents if they feel pressured. “Let them throw you under the bus,” she said. “Let them tell a lie like, ‘my parents drug test me every week’ or something like that.” The takeaway, she said, is simple but critical: Firm boundaries matter, but trust matters more. “That’s really an important thing,” Rosensweet said. “To be the first person your kid comes to when they have a problem. Not the person they’re trying to hide it from.”
