Pre-legalization baseline: most pediatric cannabis poisonings involved intentional use by older teens, often with other substances
At a Canadian pediatric hospital before legalization, 114 cannabis-related poisonings were identified, with the vast majority involving intentional use by 15-year-olds, 71% of whom also consumed other substances.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Of 911 total poisonings, 114 (12.5%) were cannabis-related. Most were from intentional use by teens (median age 15), with 71.1% involving cannabis with other substances. Fewer than 10 were inadvertent ingestions by young children (median age 3), all at home from family-owned cannabis. Cannabis poisonings occurred more often on weekdays.
Key Numbers
114 cannabis-related of 911 total poisonings (12.5%). Intentional use: 28.9% cannabis only, 71.1% with co-ingestions. Median age for inadvertent ingestion: 3 years. Median age for intentional use: 15 years. Most consumed via inhalation with peers.
How They Did This
Retrospective analysis of cannabis poisonings treated at BC Children's Hospital ED from 2016-2018, using the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program database. Electronic health records reviewed for additional context.
Why This Research Matters
Establishing pre-legalization baselines allows future comparisons to determine whether recreational cannabis legalization changed the pattern of pediatric cannabis exposures.
The Bigger Picture
The high rate of polysubstance involvement and the peer-group context of most adolescent cannabis poisonings suggest prevention strategies need to address broader substance use patterns, not just cannabis in isolation.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single hospital; pre-legalization period only; relies on ED presentations which may undercount less severe cases; retrospective chart review.
Questions This Raises
- ?Have cannabis poisoning patterns changed since Canadian legalization in October 2018?
- ?Did edibles legalization (2019) increase inadvertent ingestions in young children?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 71% of intentional cannabis poisonings involved co-ingestion of other substances
- Evidence Grade:
- Single-center retrospective study providing a pre-legalization baseline; limited to ED presentations.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Setting the baseline: a description of cannabis poisonings at a Canadian pediatric hospital prior to the legalization of recreational cannabis.
- Published In:
- Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 40(5-6), 193-200 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02464
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did legalization change these patterns?
This study specifically established a pre-legalization baseline (2016-2018) for future comparison. The authors note that comparing pre- and post-legalization data will be important for evaluating policy impacts.
How common were accidental exposures in young children?
Fewer than 10 accidental ingestions by young children were identified over 3 years. All occurred at home and involved cannabis belonging to the child's family, suggesting safe storage is the primary prevention strategy.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02464APA
Cheng, Phoebe; Zagaran, Atousa; Rajabali, Fahra; Turcotte, Kate; Babul, Shelina. (2020). Setting the baseline: a description of cannabis poisonings at a Canadian pediatric hospital prior to the legalization of recreational cannabis.. Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 40(5-6), 193-200. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.5/6.08
MLA
Cheng, Phoebe, et al. "Setting the baseline: a description of cannabis poisonings at a Canadian pediatric hospital prior to the legalization of recreational cannabis.." Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, 2020. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.5/6.08
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Setting the baseline: a description of cannabis poisonings a..." RTHC-02464. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cheng-2020-setting-the-baseline-a
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.