Pediatric cannabis poisoning calls jumped 140% after Massachusetts legalized medical marijuana
Single-substance cannabis exposure calls to poison control for children and teens increased 140% after Massachusetts legalized medical marijuana, with edible product exposures rising across most age groups.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Single-substance cannabis calls increased from 0.4 to 1.1 per 100,000 population after medical marijuana legalization (IRR 2.4, 95% CI 1.5-3.9), a 140% increase. Teens aged 15-19 accounted for 81.7% of all calls. Edible product exposures increased after legalization across most age groups. Over the 8-year period, 218 total cannabis exposure calls were received (98 single-substance, 120 polysubstance).
Key Numbers
218 total calls over 8 years (2009-2016). 140% increase in single-substance calls (IRR 2.4). 60.6% male. 81.7% aged 15-19. Single-substance calls: 29 before vs 69 after legalization.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional comparison of pediatric cannabis exposure cases reported to the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention, comparing 4 years before and after medical marijuana legalization in Massachusetts (2009-2016).
Why This Research Matters
Despite childproof packaging and warning labels, pediatric exposures still increased, suggesting these measures alone are insufficient to protect children in legal cannabis markets.
The Bigger Picture
This adds to evidence from Colorado and Washington showing pediatric cannabis exposures increase after legalization, extending the pattern to the East Coast.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Poison control data likely undercount actual exposures. Cannot determine causation. Temporal association with legalization does not prove legalization caused the increase. No data on severity or outcomes.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are current packaging and labeling requirements effective for preventing very young children from accessing edibles?
- ?How do exposure rates change after recreational legalization?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 140% increase in pediatric cannabis exposure calls
- Evidence Grade:
- Registry-based study with clear before/after comparison, but poison control data have known underreporting.
- Study Age:
- 2019 study using 2009-2016 data.
- Original Title:
- Incidence of Pediatric Cannabis Exposure Among Children and Teenagers Aged 0 to 19 Years Before and After Medical Marijuana Legalization in Massachusetts.
- Published In:
- JAMA network open, 2(8), e199456 (2019)
- Authors:
- Whitehill, Jennifer M(6), Harrington, Calla, Lang, Cheryl J, Chary, Michael, Bhutta, Waqaas A, Burns, Michele M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02347
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did pediatric cannabis poisoning increase after legalization?
In Massachusetts, single-substance cannabis calls to poison control for ages 0-19 increased 140% after medical marijuana legalization, despite childproof packaging and warning labels.
Which age group had the most cannabis exposures?
Teenagers aged 15-19 accounted for 81.7% of all cannabis exposure calls, though edible exposures increased across most age groups.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02347APA
Whitehill, Jennifer M; Harrington, Calla; Lang, Cheryl J; Chary, Michael; Bhutta, Waqaas A; Burns, Michele M. (2019). Incidence of Pediatric Cannabis Exposure Among Children and Teenagers Aged 0 to 19 Years Before and After Medical Marijuana Legalization in Massachusetts.. JAMA network open, 2(8), e199456. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9456
MLA
Whitehill, Jennifer M, et al. "Incidence of Pediatric Cannabis Exposure Among Children and Teenagers Aged 0 to 19 Years Before and After Medical Marijuana Legalization in Massachusetts.." JAMA network open, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9456
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Incidence of Pediatric Cannabis Exposure Among Children and ..." RTHC-02347. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/whitehill-2019-incidence-of-pediatric-cannabis
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.