A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals an alarming increase in emergency room (ER) visits related to marijuana among children, teenagers, and young adults during the first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC analyzed data on ER visits between 2019 and 2022 for individuals under the age of 25. The findings showed a total of 539,106 cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits in this age group during that period, with a significant rise in weekly average visits across younger age brackets.
Among children under the age of 10, the average number of weekly ER visits related to marijuana increased from 30.4 in 2020 to 71.5 in 2022, compared to a range of 18.7 to 23.2 in 2019.
For children aged 11 to 14, the average number of weekly visits surged from 69.8 to 209.3 within the same timeframe. In the 15 to 24-year-old age range, average marijuana-related visits grew from 2,275.8 in 2020 to 2,813.2 in 2021.
“Cannabis-involved ED visits began increasing statistically significantly among all age groups except for 15–24-year-olds several years before the pandemic, potentially as a result of expanding state-level policies legalizing cannabis use,” stated the CDC’s report, highlighting the uncertain reasons for these increases and the potential variations by age.
Previous research indicated that substance use among young people remained relatively stable throughout the pandemic despite lockdowns. A 2021 study found that alcohol and marijuana use among 12th graders did not witness significant declines despite reported reductions in availability.
Another study conducted in 2022 discovered that marijuana users had a 22 percent higher likelihood of ending up in an emergency room compared to non-users, primarily due to physical injuries.
In its latest report, the CDC pointed out that cannabis-related ED visits continue to surpass pre-pandemic levels.
“These increases may stem from various factors, including increased use of marijuana as a coping mechanism for pandemic-related stressors, the consumption of highly concentrated THC products, increased availability of cannabis in states with legal markets, and unintentional ingestions associated with appealing or confusing packaging for youths,” stated the agency.
The CDC advised adults to store cannabis products safely and securely in places inaccessible to children to prevent unintentional ingestion.
“To help reduce substance use, communities can implement evidence-based programs to enhance coping and problem-solving skills among young individuals,” advised the CDC.
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