Although not surprising, the new data are “concerning” to pediatric emergency care physicians like Dr. Caleb Ward at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
During the pandemic, the number of young people smoking marijuana or ingesting toxic amounts of edible marijuana increased to the point where they need emergency care increased significantly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The majority of cannabis-related ER visits were made by older teens, but children under the age of 11 saw the most startling increase, with an average of 214% increase between 2019 and 2022.
According to Dr. Ward, “Many homes in the United States now have edible cannabis products in them, they see these products that look like candies or brownies, sometimes in cartoon packaging, and they’re ingesting them not because they want a cannabis product, but because it looks fun.”
Researchers from the CDC examined data on cannabis use from 1,671 ER visits in 2020–2022 and contrasted it with similar visits in 2019.
The number of emergency room visits due to cannabis use has significantly increased, particularly among children under 11 years old. In this age group, the average number of visits more than tripled from 20.9 per 10,000 visits in 2019 to 65.6 per 10,000 visits in 2022, marking a 214% rise.
Researchers attribute these incidents to accidental poisoning resulting from the consumption of marijuana-infused edibles packaged in appealing designs for children.
To tackle this growing concern, federal regulators have taken action. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to six companies for selling illicit products containing THC designed to mimic common snacks.
These products, which resemble chips, cookies, candies, and gummies, pose a risk of accidental ingestion, especially among children, and may lead to unintended high doses.