The New York Times (3/25, Rabin) reports researchers found that “edibles” were responsible for “a disproportionate number of” cannabis-related ED admissions in Colorado, suggesting “that edibles may be more potent and potentially more dangerous than [marijuana] that is smoked or vaped.” The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The AP (3/25, Johnson) reports the study was prompted in part by three deaths in the state that were tied to edibles as well as anecdotes about tourists visiting the ED after consuming lots of edibles.
NBC News (3/25) reports on its website that researchers reviewed ED visits “at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital from 2012 to 2016,” and found that ED “visits linked to cannabis use tripled” after Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. The researchers also found that “while sales of edibles are lower than inhaled pot products, people eating marijuana candies or food were more likely to show up at the ER with severe panic attacks or other sudden mental disorders.” Dr. Andrew Monte, the study’s lead author, said that only 0.32% of cannabis sales were for edibles, but around 10% of cannabis-related ED visits were related to edibles. However, the article points out that the researchers also found that “inhaled marijuana caused a higher rate of hospitalizations, mostly due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a severe vomiting condition associated with heavy cannabis use.”
Related Links:
— “Marijuana Edibles May Pose Special Risks, ” Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times, March 25, 2019