Children accidentally exposed to cannabis undergo twice as many medical tests and stay in the hospital much longer
When cannabis exposure in children wasn't immediately recognized, they underwent more than twice as many diagnostic tests at four times the cost, with hospital stays averaging 18 hours compared to 4 hours for adolescents.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Children with unrecognized cannabis exposure underwent an average of 8.91 diagnostic tests compared to 4 for those where exposure was quickly identified, with more than 4-fold higher costs for potentially avoidable tests. Children's hospital stays averaged 18.34 hours versus 4.22 hours for adolescents.
Key Numbers
37 children, 38 adolescents; mean time to recognition 2.3 hours (children) vs 0.4 hours (adolescents); 8.91 vs 4 diagnostic tests; 4-fold higher avoidable test costs; 18.34 vs 4.22 hours hospital stay
How They Did This
Retrospective chart review of 75 patients (37 children, 38 adolescents) ages 31 days to 20 years with positive marijuana toxicology screens at a children's hospital emergency department from November 2009 to December 2014.
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis products become more available, accidental pediatric exposures may increase. Delayed recognition leads to unnecessary testing, higher costs, and prolonged hospital stays that could be avoided with better awareness and reporting.
The Bigger Picture
These findings underscore the importance of childproof packaging for cannabis products and prompt disclosure of possible exposure, which can significantly reduce unnecessary medical interventions and healthcare costs.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Retrospective single-center study, relatively small sample, data from 2009-2014 predates widespread legalization, cannot account for all confounders in testing decisions.
Questions This Raises
- ?Have pediatric cannabis exposures increased since state-level legalization?
- ?Would standardized screening protocols reduce unnecessary testing?
- ?How effective are childproof packaging requirements in preventing accidental exposures?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 18.34 hours average hospital stay for children vs 4.22 hours for adolescents
- Evidence Grade:
- Retrospective chart review from a single children's hospital with a moderate sample size
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 using 2009-2014 data, before widespread cannabis legalization changed the landscape of pediatric exposures.
- Original Title:
- Increased Testing and Health Care Costs for Pediatric Cannabis Exposures.
- Published In:
- Pediatric emergency care, 37(12), e850-e854 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02993
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when a child accidentally ingests cannabis?
In this study, children averaged 18-hour hospital stays. When exposure wasn't immediately identified, they underwent an average of nearly 9 diagnostic tests as doctors investigated their symptoms.
Does disclosing cannabis exposure make a difference?
Yes, significantly. Patients where exposure was quickly identified underwent half as many tests at one-quarter the cost, with much shorter hospital stays.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02993APA
Bashqoy, Ferras; Heizer, Justin W; Reiter, Pamela D; Wang, George S; Borgelt, Laura M. (2021). Increased Testing and Health Care Costs for Pediatric Cannabis Exposures.. Pediatric emergency care, 37(12), e850-e854. https://doi.org/10.1097/PEC.0000000000001811
MLA
Bashqoy, Ferras, et al. "Increased Testing and Health Care Costs for Pediatric Cannabis Exposures.." Pediatric emergency care, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1097/PEC.0000000000001811
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Increased Testing and Health Care Costs for Pediatric Cannab..." RTHC-02993. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bashqoy-2021-increased-testing-and-health
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.