A young child from Vancouver Island is in hospital after she accidentally ate gummy bears infused with cannabis.

Police in Comox, B.C., say the child found the discarded gummy bears in the back seat of the car she was in, and ate an unknown number of them.

Investigators say the child's parents brought her to a local hospital after she began to show signs of medical distress. The child was airlifted to another hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

"This is a very unfortunate situation that brings to light the dangers of cannabis infused edibles — specifically those that resemble candy," said Const. Monika Terragni with Comox RCMP.

"These are products that need to be treated with the same care and control that we treat our prescription drugs with."

Police launched a criminal investigation into the matter. Terragni said the parents are cooperating with investigators.

Police are reminding parents that cannabis products can be toxic to children, and parents should call 911 if they suspect their children have ingested any.