Cannabis edibles landing more older adults in the ER: Study | News
A new medical study is showing older adults in Ontario ended up in hospital emergency rooms with poisonings after consuming legal cannabis.
The study showed rates tripled after edibles were legalized in January 2020.
“There are a number of reasons why older adults are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of edible cannabis,” researcher Dr. Nathan Stall wrote in a column to the Toronto Star. “First, many older adults are unaware of the higher potency of contemporary cannabis, and edibles in particular.”
The study, released May 20 in the JAMA internal medicine medical journal, was approved by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Inspired by California stats showing adults aged 65 and over had increased cannabis-related emergencies after the legalization of non-medical cannabis, researchers here used Ontario Ministry of Health data to examine emergency department visits for cannabis poisoning for the same demographic.
The study compared rates before legalization in Ontario, with the years when dried cannabis was legal starting October 2018, and finally, when edible cannabis was legalized in January 2020.
It found 2,322 emergency room visits reported overall, but rates increased during the first legalization period, then rose again after edibles were introduced.
“Possible explanations include increases in accidental ingestion; ease of access; lack of age-specific dosing instructions; and absence of safe and effective treatment options for chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia,” the researchers said in the study.
However, edibles were legalized just before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s possible unreported statistics could be even higher, as older adults may have avoided going to hospitals for care during that time.
“While the design of our study limited us from determining whether poisonings were unintentional or intentional — we suspect both contributed to the harms we observed,” Stall said.
Another reason cannabis could impact older adults is due to age and organ function.
“Liver and kidney function decline with age, thereby impairing the body’s ability to metabolize and eliminate cannabis,” Stall said. “Older adults often take several prescription medications, making them prone to drug interactions, both with prescribed and over-the-counter medications.”
He is recommending dosing information be provided to older adults, with specific guidance on use. And more information should be provided on the adverse effects of cannabis, such as the increased risk of falls due to diminished strength, balance and vision as we age, as well as greater risks of confusion due to possible cognitive impairment and psychoactive medication use with sleeping pills or sedatives.
“Now that Canada has firmly entered the stoned age, we must take further measures to ensure older adults are neither unintentionally exposed to edible cannabis, nor exposed to preventable harm while intentionally ingesting cannabis.”
