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Ottawa should reduce the THC content permitted in legal cannabis edibles to limit the risk of overdoses, say Canada’s doctors.

The allowable maximum amount of 10 mg of THC per edible should be lowered to five mg, says the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

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The experience in U.S. states such as Colorado, where the derivatives have been legal for several years and have led to hospitalizations, should serve as a warning to Canadian regulators, said CMA president Sandy Buchman.

“The CMA maintains that 10 mg per discrete unit and package is too high and should be established at a maximum of 5 mg per dose, given the higher risks of overconsumption with edibles,” Buchman said in a statement.

The physician said a higher risk of children ingesting the products, which are set to be legalized in a month, also call for the reduced level of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Not enough is known about the medical effect of cannabis, particularly on seniors, adolescents and children, said Buchman.