Edible Marijuana: Teen's Death Raises 'Overdose' Concerns, CDC Warns Of Dangers

A 19-year-old teenager jumps off a four-story building after consuming a cookie infused with edible marijuana and getting an "overdose."

According to the Washington Times, the 19-year-old victim, identified as Levy Thamba, ate a whole cookie infused with edible pot that was purchased from a store in Colorado.

The victim, who had no prior experience with the drug, was introduced to it by a 23-year-old friend, who bought the cookie and gave it to him.

The clerk gave instructions in eating the cookie. They were directed to cut the cookie into six equal parts and eat only one serving at a time. The victim followed, however, 30 to 60 minutes after eating his first part, he found no effects and proceeded to consume the remaining portions.

Police reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, did not indicate if the clerk gave instructions as to how long should one wait before ingesting another serving.

Two and a half hours later, he jumped off the fourth floor balcony of the building he was on, as reported by Immortal News.

An autopsy was performed in the victim's body 29 hours later. According to the CDC, they "found marijuana intoxication as a chief contributing factor."

He had a very high level of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his blood -- 7.2 ng/mL, 2.2 ng/ML higher than the 5.0 ng/mL legal limit placed on Colorado drivers.

This is simply because he consumed a whole cannabis-infused cookie that was meant to be eaten in small portions.

The CDC reports that the effects of THC in an individual vary. When eaten, THC's effects show up slower than when smoked—one to two hours after oral ingestion as compared to a five to 10 minutes when smoked.

Thus, "because of the delayed effects of THC-infused edibles, multiple servings might be consumed in close succession before experiencing the "high" from the initial serving, as reportedly occurred in this case," the CDC adds. "Consuming a large dose of THC can result in a higher THC concentration, greater intoxication, and an increased risk for adverse psychological effects."

The use of marijuana for recreational purposes have been approved in four states (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington) as well as the District of Columbia. The CDC states that a mortality and morbidity surveillance would help prevention of its overconsumption.

There is "a need for improved public health messaging to reduce the risk for overconsumption of THC," the CDC says.