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Safe storage is one of the most direct ways households can reduce accidental cannabis consumption. Children can mistake edible products for familiar foods, while adults can unintentionally consume the wrong product, take more than intended, or use something without realizing it contains THC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)specifically recommends keeping cannabis in locked, child-resistant containers and out of the sight and reach of children and pets.

Emergency department data help put the risk in perspective. A national analysis published in 2026 estimated 47,655 emergency department visits involving cannabis “poisoning” in 2020. When researchers adjusted that number for the approximately 49.6 million Americans aged 12 and older who reported using cannabis that year, the rate was about 98.5 emergency department visits per 100,000 past-year cannabis users, or roughly one visit for every 1,000 users. Most cannabis-related experiences in the national dataset were classified as accidental or unintentional.

Tens of millions of Americans use cannabis without experiencing issues that require emergency care, and cannabis produces fewer hospital admissions and deaths than several other substances studied nationally. But a relatively uncommon event at the population level can still be a serious experience for the person and family who go through it.

The consequences matter most when young children are involved. A 2025 national study estimated 8,429 cannabis "poisonings" among children ages 0 through 11 treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments from 2018 through 2023. More than 90 percent involved children age four or younger, and edibles accounted for 78 percent of cases where the product type was known. Forty-five percent of the children were admitted to the hospital, with another 10 percent held for observation or transferred to another hospital.

Preventing an accidental ingestion is not simply about reducing a statistic. For a family, an incident can involve fear, an emergency evaluation, hospitalization, disrupted work and caregiving, and anxiety about whether a child or adult will be okay. Many of those experiences are preventable through secure storage and household practices that keep cannabis accessible to the patient who needs it while preventing unintended access by everyone else.

As medical cannabis becomes more common in homes, safe storage also must be accessible. Some patients have limitations involving strength, dexterity, vision, or mobility; others, already paying out of pocket for their medication, may find the expense prohibitive.

The Lock It Down Award honors secure, child-resistant, practical storage products and programs that help prevent accidental ingestion, unauthorized access, loss, or diversion while preserving legitimate access for patients and adults who need it.

The 2026 nominees Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, and Stashlogix are helping patients Lock It Down!

Learn more about the Lock It Down Award!

MEET THE LOCK IT DOWN AWARD NOMINEES

Maine Office of Cannabis Policy

The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy created Safe Storage for ME, a statewide program that puts secure storage directly into the hands of patients and consumers. The 2026 program is distributing 12,000 free lockable storage bags through more than 140 cannabis retailers and public health partners across all nine of Maine’s public health districts. 2026_Cannabis_Safety_Awards_Nom…

The bags can be secured using either a combination code or a key, giving people different ways to access them. The program also includes safe storage information, poison control resources, and connections to youth prevention education, pairing the storage product with information families can use at home.

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has made safe storage part of its patient and public safety education. Its message is straightforward: responsibility for medical cannabis begins when a patient receives the product and continues until it has been completely used or disposed of.

OMMA encourages patients to keep medical cannabis secured from children, pets, and unauthorized individuals and connects Oklahomans with free secure storage options through partnerships with other state agencies. The program combines education with access to the tools people need to act on that information.

Stashlogix

Stashlogix designs cannabis storage cases, bags, and accessories intended to make secure storage practical in everyday life. Inspired by the CEO’s family, its products address both unauthorized access and the realities of people who may need to transport, organize, or discreetly store cannabis in their homes.

The company’s approach recognizes that responsible storage must fit into people’s routines. Parents, professionals, patients, and other cannabis consumers are more likely to use secure storage consistently when the product is functional, portable, and easy to incorporate into daily life.

Storage Is Only Safe When It Works for the Patient

The safest storage system is one that patients and caregivers can use consistently. It has to keep cannabis secure from children, pets, visitors, and others who should not have access while still allowing patients to reach their medicine when they need it. For medical cannabis patients, security cannot come at the expense of accessibility. Storage solutions need to account for different physical abilities, caregiver arrangements, product types, frequency of use, and the everyday realities of managing medicine at home.

The nominees for the 2026 Lock It Down Award are helping turn safe storage from general advice into practical solutions. Their work recognizes that effective storage must be secure, functional, compassionate, and accommodating for the patients and families expected to use it.

Learn more about the nominees & cast your vote for the 2026 Lock It Down Award through October 25.