Less than half of cannabis-using households with children stored it locked and hidden | Research

The takeaway

Among 401 adults surveyed in a California pediatric ER, 14.5% reported cannabis use in their home, but only 44.8% of home users kept cannabis both locked and hidden, and 45% received no storage information.

Pediatricians, primary care providers, cannabis regulators, parents who use cannabis

45% of home cannabis users received zero storage safety information

What the researchers found

14.5% reported cannabis use in their home in the prior six months. Only 44.8% of home users stored cannabis both locked and hidden. The most common storage advice source was friends/family (36.2%), and 45% received no storage information at all. Both users (79.1%) and non-users (73%) would feel comfortable receiving cannabis education from their primary care provider.

Why it matters

As cannabis legalization expands, pediatric ingestion risk increases. The finding that most families store cannabis inadequately and receive no professional guidance creates an actionable opportunity for healthcare providers.

The numbers in context

401 surveyed (of 558 approached); 14.5% (58/401) reported home cannabis use; 44.8% (26/58) stored both locked and hidden; 36.2% got advice from friends/family; 45% received no storage information; 79.1% of users comfortable with provider education

How the study worked

Cross-sectional electronic survey of 401 adults in a California pediatric emergency department. Assessed cannabis use, storage practices, and attitudes toward storage education. Convenience sampling with descriptive statistics.

What this study cannot tell us

Convenience sample in one pediatric ER. Self-reported data may underestimate cannabis use and overstate safe storage. California may not represent states with different cannabis cultures. Cross-sectional snapshot.

How to read the evidence

Convenience sample survey providing actionable descriptive data, though limited by single site and self-report.

When this study was published

Published in 2021.

The bigger picture

The mismatch between parents rating safe storage as highly important but not actually implementing it mirrors patterns seen with other household hazards (medications, firearms). The high comfort level with provider education suggests an intervention opportunity.

Questions still open

Would brief provider counseling about cannabis storage actually change behavior? Should child-resistant packaging standards be modeled on pharmaceutical requirements?

Common questions

How should cannabis be stored in homes with children?

While California lacks specific storage requirements, best practice follows medication storage guidance: locked, hidden, and out of children's reach. Only 44.8% of cannabis-using households in this study met even the basic standard of locked and hidden.

Would parents accept storage education from doctors?

Yes. About 79% of cannabis users and 73% of non-users said they would feel comfortable receiving cannabis education from their primary care provider, suggesting strong receptivity to clinical guidance.

Read the original research

Cannabis in Homes with Children: A Survey on Use, Storage, and Attitudes.

The western journal of emergency medicine, 22(5), 1146-1149

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Gimelli, Alex; Deshpande, Anusha; Magana, Julia N; Moulin, Aimee. (2021). Cannabis in Homes with Children: A Survey on Use, Storage, and Attitudes.. The western journal of emergency medicine, 22(5), 1146-1149. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2021.5.49057