Increased frequency, severity of ED visits for cannabis exposure in children tied to legalization of commercial cannabis edibles in Ontario<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Legalization of commercial cannabis edibles was associated with a significant increase in the frequency and severity of emergency department visits due to cannabis exposures among children, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Daniel T. Myran, M.D., from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada, and colleagues evaluated changes in pediatric emergency department visits and hospitalizations due to cannabis exposures following Canada’s two-phased approach to legalizing recreational cannabis. The analysis included emergency department visits among children (aged 0 to 9 years) in Ontario, Canada, during three time periods: prelegalization (January 2016 to September 2018); after legalization of flower products (period 1: October 2018 to January 2020); and after commercial edibles (period 2: February 2020 to March 2021).<\/p>\n The researchers identified 522 emergency department visits due to cannabis exposures among children (mean age, 3.8 years; 53.8 percent among boys), including 81 visits during prelegalization, 124 visits during period 1, and 317 visits during period 2. There was a significant increase observed in the proportion of cannabis-related emergency visits with hospitalization after the introduction of edibles, including 19 emergency department visits (3.6 percent) with intensive care unit admission. No deaths were recorded.<\/p>\n “Further regulatory measures, such as limiting formulations and appearance of commercial edibles, combined with education for parents and caregivers, may be required to decrease pediatric cannabis exposures,” the authors write.<\/p>\n