The post Why Are People Going To The Emergency Room Because of Pot? appeared first on High Times.
Cannabis legalization has improved the lives of many in the state of Colorado. However, we can’t ignore the fact that there have been some unintended consequences to lift of prohibition as well. The number of marijuana-related visits to emergency departments (ED) in Colorado has doubled since legalization, according to a November 2017 article published in American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Kennon Heard, MD, PhD, Christopher O. Hoyte, MD, Michael B. Marlin, MD and Thomas Napp, DO authored the article. The text combines background information about legalization in Colorado with real-life ED cases to explain the phenomenon of people going to the emergency room because of pot.
In the article, the doctors report on the nature of these visits so that emergency departments across the nation can prepare themselves for the effects of legalization in other states. For clarity, they even organized the most common marijuana-related visits into five categories. Here are the reasons for people going to the emergency room because of pot.
1. Pediatric ingestion
One of the most pressing problems is marijuana consumption by children, particularly high-potency marijuana edibles. Emergency departments frequently deal with children who have ingested things they have found in their homes. It is just one reason why child-proofing homes is an important parental responsibility. Cannabis toxicity in children presents many symptoms, such as drowsiness, hallucinations and nausea. ED personnel need to consider this option, especially when they cannot identify other explanations for related symptoms.
2. Acute intoxication
This has not been a common problem in the past, but given the greater potency of marijuana, especially in edibles, it has