Pediatric cannabis poisonings in Michigan rose steadily after medical marijuana legalization
From 2008 to 2019, Michigan saw 426 pediatric cannabis exposures reported to poison control, with cases doubling every 2.1 years and a bimodal age distribution peaking in young children (ingestions) and teenagers (inhalation).
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
426 pediatric cannabis exposures were reported to the Michigan Poison Center from 2008 to 2019. Cases doubled every 2.1 years, with a notable increase after 2016. Young children (0-5) most commonly ingested cannabis products, while teenagers (13-17) most often inhaled them. Overall, 76.8% of exposures were from ingestion.
Key Numbers
426 total pediatric exposures; median age 6.0 years; 76.8% from ingestion; 18.5% from inhalation; doubling time of 2.1 years; bimodal age distribution; annual cases increased notably after 2016
How They Did This
Retrospective chart review of all pediatric (<18 years) single-substance cannabis exposures reported to the Michigan Poison Center from January 2008 through December 2019. Analyzed routes of exposure, product types, and temporal trends after medical legalization (2008) and recreational legalization (2018).
Why This Research Matters
As more states legalize cannabis, understanding pediatric exposure patterns helps inform child safety regulations, product packaging requirements, and public health messaging for households with children.
The Bigger Picture
The steady increase in pediatric exposures mirrors trends reported in other legalization states and underscores the need for child-resistant packaging, clear labeling, and household storage education as cannabis products become more accessible.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Poison center data likely underestimates true exposure rates since not all cases are reported. Single state (Michigan). Cannot determine severity outcomes for all cases. Temporal trends may reflect increased reporting awareness alongside actual increases in exposure.
Questions This Raises
- ?Did recreational legalization in 2018 accelerate the trend beyond what medical legalization already established?
- ?What specific product types (edibles, concentrates) are most commonly involved in pediatric ingestions?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Pediatric cannabis exposures doubled every 2.1 years
- Evidence Grade:
- Complete poison center data for a 12-year period with clear temporal trends, though underreporting is likely.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 covering 2008-2019 data.
- Original Title:
- Pediatric Cannabis Single-Substance Exposures Reported to the Michigan Poison Center From 2008-2019 After Medical Marijuana Legalization.
- Published In:
- The Journal of emergency medicine, 60(6), 701-708 (2021)
- Authors:
- Dean, Diana, Passalacqua, Karla D, Oh, Su Min, Aaron, Cynthia, Van Harn, Meredith G, King, Andrew
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03093
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Which age groups were most affected?
The distribution was bimodal: young children (0-5 years) had the highest number of ingestion exposures, while teenagers (13-17 years) had the highest number of inhalation exposures. The overall median age was 6 years.
How were children exposed?
76.8% of exposures were from ingestion (eating cannabis products), 18.5% from inhalation, and 4.2% from unknown routes. Edibles and other ingestible products were the most common source of exposure for young children.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03093APA
Dean, Diana; Passalacqua, Karla D; Oh, Su Min; Aaron, Cynthia; Van Harn, Meredith G; King, Andrew. (2021). Pediatric Cannabis Single-Substance Exposures Reported to the Michigan Poison Center From 2008-2019 After Medical Marijuana Legalization.. The Journal of emergency medicine, 60(6), 701-708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.12.028
MLA
Dean, Diana, et al. "Pediatric Cannabis Single-Substance Exposures Reported to the Michigan Poison Center From 2008-2019 After Medical Marijuana Legalization.." The Journal of emergency medicine, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.12.028
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Pediatric Cannabis Single-Substance Exposures Reported to th..." RTHC-03093. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/dean-2021-pediatric-cannabis-singlesubstance-exposures
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.