Several hospitalized after ingesting pot brownies

Several people got a trip they didn’t expect after eating pot brownies purchased at a medical marijuana clinic in Huntington Beach, California. Instead they got a trip to the hospital.

Instead of the expected high or relief from pain, they found themselves in a world of hurt, enough to call paramedics to assist them at a restaurant where they went after making their medical marijuana purchases, authorities said.

Their complaints ranged from difficulty in breathing to hallucinations, said Huntington Beach Police Lt. Craig Bryant. He added that because they all had medical marijuana cards, their cases were considered to be the result of an illness and not a criminal matter.

According to the National Institutes of Health, eating marijuana can produce reactions that are more unpleasant than those a user can get from inhaling pot smoke.

Smoking pot has and instantaneous effect, whereas ill effects from ingesting it can take from 30 minutes to an hours to appear.

If adverse side effects are felt while inhaling, the person simply has to stop smoking, but that isn’t the case when marijuana is ingested.

According to the Institute’s Web site: "These effects add up and last longer, making unpleasant reactions more likely."