Marijuana Legalization Did Not Increase Youth Hospitalizations in Manitoba, Study Finds
- Legalizing marijuana in Manitoba did not lead to a significant increase in marijuana-related hospitalizations among children and teenagers, according to a study published in the International Journal of Population Data Science.
- The study analyzed health records of residents aged 18 and younger from 2013 to 2023, comparing hospitalization rates before legalization, during the first phase (Oct 2018–Dec 2019), and the second phase (Jan 2020–Dec 2023).
- Marijuana-related hospitalizations averaged 8.50 per month before legalization, 9.52 during the first phase, and 8.59 during the second, with no statistically significant differences observed.
- Researchers noted the importance of continuing public education on health and safety for children and teenagers despite legalization, as the average age and hospitalization rates remained relatively stable across periods.
Legalizing marijuana did not lead to a notable increase in marijuana-related hospitalizations among children and teenagers in Manitoba, according to a study published in the International Journal of Population Data Science.
Researchers from the University of Manitoba and the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy examined administrative health records for all Manitoba residents ages 18 and younger from 2013 through 2023.
The researchers compared hospitalization rates across three periods: before legalization, from January 2013 to October 2018; the first phase of legalization, from October 2018 through December 2019; and the second phase, from January 2020 through December 2023.
The average number of marijuana-related hospitalizations per month was 8.50 before legalization, 9.52 during the first phase and 8.59 during the second phase.
Although hospitalization rates increased slightly during the first phase compared with the pre-legalization period, researchers say the differences were not statistically significant. This was true when researchers measured hospitalizations both per 100,000 residents and as a share of all hospital admissions.
The average age of those hospitalized also remained relatively stable, ranging from 16.53 to 16.86 years across the three periods.
Children younger than 10 accounted for 1.02% of marijuana-related hospitalizations before legalization, increasing to 4.35% during the first phase before declining to 2.39% during the second phase.
“The legalization of cannabis did not appear to increase the number of cannabis-related hospitalizations among children and youth in Manitoba,” researchers concluded.
The researchers said public education efforts should nevertheless continue emphasizing the health and safety of children and teenagers in jurisdictions where marijuana is legal.