Marijuana Legalization Leading to More Accidental Overdoses Among Toddlers

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

Marijuana legalization is still under fierce debate in the United States, but in Canada, it’s the law of the land. While that’s great news for recreational users in the country, a new study reveals some concerning news for young children. Researchers found that accidental overdoses and emergency department visits for cannabis exposure are going up among children under the age of 10.

Moreover, the study finds the number of children overdosing on marijuana increased the most after Canada legalized the recreational use of edibles. Overall, emergency departments in Ontario saw nine times more cases a month after the country lifted regulatory restrictions.

We saw more frequent and severe ED visits due to cannabis poisoning in children under 10 following the legalization of cannabis, and the legalization of edible cannabis products appears to be a key factor,” says lead author Dr. Daniel Myran of The Ottawa Hospital in a media release.

After cannabis sweets, chocolates, and other edibles became available in January 2020, there were almost 23 overdoses a month, compared to 2.5 pre-legalization.

Researchers found emergency room visits for pediatric poisonings of any other cause decreased in Ontario during the pandemic, but those due to cannabis rose. After commercial edibles became available, nearly 10 percent of all hospital visits for poisonings in children in Ontario were related to cannabis.

Researchers published their findings in JAMA Network Open.

Source: StudyFinds
https://www.studyfinds.org/marijuana-legalization-overdoses/