Reefer madness: NY issues weed warning guide as ER visits skyrocket — especially among little kids
- New York state has issued a guide, “Talking With Young People About Weed,” warning about the health risks of marijuana, especially the rising cases of cannabis poisoning in children under age 5, with pediatric ER visits surging over 1,600% since legalization.
- The state’s Office of Cannabis Management highlights risks like Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, which causes severe abdominal pain and persistent vomiting in frequent cannabis users, and notes that the brain develops until age 25, making young people more vulnerable.
- There is an increased risk of Cannabis Use Disorder among teens who start using marijuana early, with 16% of teen users developing the disorder compared to 10% of adults, and drug-treatment programs have reported a rise in patients abusing cannabis since legalization.
- The “Cannabis Honestly” education campaign aims to equip parents and caregivers with tools to discuss cannabis risks with youth, amid ongoing concerns from medical organizations and continued challenges with the illicit cannabis market despite high legal sales.
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The state has issued a new guide warning about the negatives of smoking or ingesting marijuana as an alarming study discovered ER visits are skyrocketing — especially among little kids.
The guide, “Talking With Young People About Weed,” notes that the brain develops until age 25 and that frequent pot users — and accidental young children who ingest the drug — can develop cannabis poisoning.
“Anyone who uses cannabis frequently over time is at risk for developing Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome,” says the warning, prepared by New York’s Office of Cannabis Management.
“This medical condition causes severe abdominal pain, persistent nausea, and repeated vomiting. In some cases, symptoms are so intense that individuals may seek emergency medical care.”
The state Health Department last week released an eye-opening report that found emergency-room visits for cannabis poisoning has skyrocketed since New York legalized weed in the past decade — first for medicinal purposes in 2016 and then for adults in 2021.
Pediatric hospital visits involving cannabis and children under age 5 specifically surged more than 1,600% since 2016.
The findings are an “I told you so” moment,” said state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, who opposed legalizing marijuana, to The Post.
“At the time the marijuana bill was debated, there was ample evidence of the medical problems that marijuana causes. Lawmakers ignored the evidence. They wanted the tax revenue,” Kassar said.
“Now you’re trying to resuscitate something you broke in the first place,” he said.
The short-term effects for teens who use cannabis regularly may include:
The study found that in terms of long-term risks for teenagers, 16% of teens who regular use cannabis will develop Cannabis Use Disorder compared to about 10% of adults who started using cannabis as adults, and risky cannabis use is more likely when people start using as teens.
Last summer, The Post reported that drug-treatment programs were seeing more patients abusing weed since legalization.
The warning guide was put out as part of OCM’s “Cannabis Honestly education campaign that seeks to provide young people and the adults who support them with clear, practical information about cannabis. It’s been in the works for a year.
The New York Medical Society and the American Medical Association both had opposed marijuana legalization, citing health risks.
“Adolescence is a critical period of brain development and it’s important for parents and caregivers to learn how to talk openly and effectively about the risks of cannabis use during this important time,” state Health Commissioner Dr. James McConald said in a statement.
“The Cannabis Honestly campaign was carefully and thoughtfully designed to equip parents and caregivers with the tools they need to have real-world conversations with their children about cannabis.”
There are currently 695 licensed cannabis dispensaries across New York, with daily weed sales now clearing $5 million a day, though authorities are still grappling to rein in the untaxed, illicit market.