May 20, 2024
In the three years before legalization in 2018, the rate of ER visits by Ont. seniors for cannabis poisoning stood at 5.8 per 100,000. That figure spiked during the first phase when dried cannabis became available to 15.4 per 100,000 and it rose again to 21.1 per 100,000 once edibles were introduced in 2020. Sinai Health reports the data may not tell the whole story of cannabis poisonings, as some seniors may have opted not to seek medical treatment, particularly during the pandemic. As for why cannabis poisonings increased beyond their legalization, the study suggests a lack of education about possible interactions with other medications seniors were taking was one factor.
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