THC Found in Rising Number of Young Children in Postmortem Testing
Postmortem testing of children under 10 showed THC positivity rates increased significantly from 2018-2024, with 86% of positive cases in children age 2 or younger and 31% in newborns or intrauterine deaths.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 17,512 postmortem pediatric blood cases, THC positivity rates increased significantly from 1.6% to 2.8% (LOD, p=0.0075) and 0.43% to 1.1% (LOQ, p=0.0057) between 2018-2024. Of positive cases: 86% were in children ≤2 years, 71% under 1 year, 65% ≤6 months, and 31% under 1 month or intrauterine demise. Cannabis was the only drug found in 49% of cases.
Key Numbers
17,512 postmortem cases. THC positivity: 1.6% to 2.8% (LOD, p=0.0075). 518 LC-MS/MS confirmed cases. 86% in children ≤2 years. 71% under 1 year. 65% ≤6 months. 31% under 1 month/intrauterine. Cannabis sole finding in 49%. Caffeine most common co-finding (26%).
How They Did This
Retrospective analysis of data from a large reference laboratory serving US medical examiners and coroners, 2018-2024. 17,512 postmortem blood cases screened by ELISA and/or confirmed by LC-MS/MS.
Why This Research Matters
The finding that THC exposure is increasing in the youngest and most vulnerable population — infants and newborns — raises serious child safety and public health concerns as cannabis becomes more widely available in homes.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands, the increased presence of cannabis products in homes creates exposure risks for young children. The high proportion of infants and newborns suggests both prenatal exposure and postnatal environmental exposure are significant concerns.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Postmortem cases represent the most extreme outcomes and do not reflect overall pediatric THC exposure rates. Cannot determine route of exposure (prenatal, ingestion, secondhand smoke). THC presence does not necessarily indicate cause of death.
Questions This Raises
- ?What are the primary routes of THC exposure in infants and newborns?
- ?Does THC exposure contribute to infant mortality or is it an incidental finding?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Large reference lab dataset with objective toxicology testing, but postmortem population represents extreme cases and cannot determine causation.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication with 2018-2024 data.
- Original Title:
- Delta-9 THC detection in the young pediatric postmortem population: 2018-2024.
- Published In:
- Child abuse & neglect, 170, 107763 (2025)
- Authors:
- Swatek, Jennifer, Wang, George Sam(15), Labay, Laura
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07757
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Are children being exposed to THC?
This study found increasing THC positivity rates in postmortem testing of children under 10 from 2018-2024. Most concerning, 86% of positive cases were in children age 2 or younger, and cannabis was the only drug detected in nearly half of cases.
How are infants exposed to THC?
This study could not determine the route of exposure, but the high proportion of cases in newborns and infants under 6 months suggests both prenatal maternal use and postnatal environmental exposure (secondhand smoke, accidental ingestion of edibles) are likely pathways.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07757APA
Swatek, Jennifer; Wang, George Sam; Labay, Laura. (2025). Delta-9 THC detection in the young pediatric postmortem population: 2018-2024.. Child abuse & neglect, 170, 107763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107763
MLA
Swatek, Jennifer, et al. "Delta-9 THC detection in the young pediatric postmortem population: 2018-2024.." Child abuse & neglect, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107763
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Delta-9 THC detection in the young pediatric postmortem popu..." RTHC-07757. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/swatek-2025-delta9-thc-detection-in
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.