WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg says the number of emergency calls around cannabis edibles nearly doubled in 2019 compared to the previous year, but there is no answer as to why.
So far in 2020, the city said the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service has responded to two patients who reported using cannabis edibles.
In 2018 there were 23 calls to the WFPS where the caller reported using cannabis edibles. That number rose to 42 calls in 2019.
A spokesperson for the city said they are unable to confirm the reason for the drastic increase.
"One potential reason may be the patients’ willingness to disclose using the drug now that it is legal," the spokesperson said in a written statement to CTV News.
The number of calls may actually be higher than this. The city said people may have called emergency crews to report symptoms of what they are feeling, such as shortness of breath, chest tightness or dizziness.
Cannabis edibles were made available in Winnipeg stores in December 2019, as the products were not included in the first phase of marijuana legalization.
