Cannabis-Related Emergency Visits Among Youth Under 25 Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Especially in Children Under 10
CDC surveillance data showed cannabis-related ED visits among young people under 25 were higher in 2020, 2021, and 2022 compared to 2019, with the largest increases among children aged 10 and under and a notable rise among adolescent females.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Mean weekly cannabis-involved ED visits among all youth under 25 were higher during 2020, 2021, and 2022 compared to 2019. The largest increases were among children aged 10 and under. Among adolescents aged 11-14, female ED visit rates surpassed male rates starting in late 2020, a pattern not seen pre-pandemic.
Key Numbers
Cannabis ED visits higher in 2020, 2021, and 2022 vs. 2019 across all youth under 25. Largest increases in children aged 10 and under. Female rates exceeded male rates among 11-14 year olds starting late 2020.
How They Did This
CDC analysis of National Syndromic Surveillance Program data examining cannabis-involved ED visits (documented in chief complaint or discharge diagnosis) among persons under 25 during 2019-2022.
Why This Research Matters
The surge in cannabis ED visits among very young children (under 10) points to accidental ingestion of cannabis edibles, a growing problem as legal cannabis products become more prevalent in homes. The gender shift among adolescents raises questions about changing patterns of use.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands, the home storage problem becomes more acute. Edibles that look like candy or gummies pose particular risks for young children. The pandemic may have amplified exposure by keeping children at home with increased proximity to adult cannabis products.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Syndromic surveillance data depend on documentation quality. Cannot determine intentional vs. accidental exposure in young children. COVID-19 pandemic may have changed ED-seeking behavior. Cannot attribute trends to any single cause (legalization, pandemic stress, product availability).
Questions This Raises
- ?Are child-resistant packaging requirements keeping pace with cannabis edible design?
- ?What drove the shift to higher ED visit rates among adolescent females during the pandemic?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Largest cannabis ED visit increases were among children aged 10 and under
- Evidence Grade:
- National syndromic surveillance data from CDC covering millions of ED visits, providing strong population-level evidence.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2023 using data from 2019-2022.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis-Involved Emergency Department Visits Among Persons Aged <25 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, 2019-2022.
- Published In:
- MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 72(28), 758-765 (2023)
- Authors:
- Roehler, Douglas R(9), Smith, Herschel, Radhakrishnan, Lakshmi, Holland, Kristin M, Gates, Abigail L, Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M, Hoots, Brooke E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04891
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Did cannabis emergencies increase among children during COVID?
Yes. CDC data showed cannabis-related ED visits increased among all youth under 25 during 2020-2022 vs. 2019, with the largest increases in children 10 and under, likely reflecting accidental ingestion.
Are girls using more cannabis than boys?
Among 11-14 year olds, female cannabis ED visit rates surpassed male rates starting in late 2020, a reversal from pre-pandemic patterns. The reasons for this shift are not yet clear.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04891APA
Roehler, Douglas R; Smith, Herschel; Radhakrishnan, Lakshmi; Holland, Kristin M; Gates, Abigail L; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Hoots, Brooke E. (2023). Cannabis-Involved Emergency Department Visits Among Persons Aged <25 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, 2019-2022.. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 72(28), 758-765. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7228a1
MLA
Roehler, Douglas R, et al. "Cannabis-Involved Emergency Department Visits Among Persons Aged <25 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, 2019-2022.." MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 2023. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7228a1
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis-Involved Emergency Department Visits Among Persons ..." RTHC-04891. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/roehler-2023-cannabisinvolved-emergency-department-visits
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.