For the study, researchers analyzed data from the Ontario Ministry of Health detailing emergency department admissions for cannabis poisoning during three time periods: 2015- 2018: before cannabis became legal in the province; 2018- 2019: when cannabis was legal in the form of dried marijuana and 2020 to 2022: when edibles became legal for retail.
Over the eight-year study period, there were 2,322 visits to the emergency department for cannabis poisoning among older adults with an average age of 69.5 years. The researchers reported that 16.6% of patients had concomitant alcohol intoxication, 38.5% cancer, and 6.5% dementia.
Ultimately, the researchers found that the rate of emergency visits during the initial legalization period was twice that of the pre-legalization period. Meanwhile, the rate of emergency department admissions tripled when edibles became available.
“Possible explanations include increases in accidental ingestion; ease of access; lack of age-specific dosing instructions; and absence of safe and effective treatment options for chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Older adults are at particularly high risk of adverse effects from cannabis due to age-related physiological changes, polypharmacy, drug interactions, and multimorbidity,” wrote the researchers in their paper.
There are limitations to the study. For example, due to its cross-sectional nature, the researchers were unable to determine whether increased poisonings were directly linked to edible cannabis use or broader commercialization of nonmedical cannabis. The findings may have also been influenced by temporal trends and confounding from events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Overall, this study shows the health outcomes of cannabis legalization and commercialization for older adults and highlights the consequences associated with edible cannabis. Jurisdictions with legalized cannabis should consider measures to mitigate unintentional exposure in older adults and age-specific dosing guidance,” concluded the researchers in their paper.
Sources: Medical Xpress, JAMA Internal Medicine
