Emergency care , hospitalizations higher among cannabis users

according to a new study , published in BMJOpen Respiratory Research, visits to the emergency department and hospitalizations are 22 per cent higher among individuals who use cannabis compared with those who do not.

The study found that serious physical injury and respiratory-reasons were the two leading causes of emergency department visits and hospitalizations among cannabis users.

Outcomes of nearly 4,800 individuals who reported any cannabis use in the preceding 12 months were assessed. The researchers found no significant associations between cannabis use and respiratory-

related ED visits, hospitalizations, or death from any cause. However, they did find that overall visits to the ED or hospitalizations for any reason was significantly higher among cannabis users. In addition to having greater odds of going to the emergency department or being hospitalized, the findings show that one of every 25 people who use cannabis will go to the emergency department (ED) or be admitted to hospital within a year of using cannabis.

Among the reasons cannabis users went to the emergency department or were hospitalized, acute trauma was the most common, with 15 per cent of cannabis users who got medical attention receiving it for this reason, and 14 per cent receiving care for respiratory reasons.

The results of the research support that health care professionals and government should discourage recreational cannabis consumption in the general population.

Reference: Nicholas T Vozoris1,2,3,4, Jingqin Zhu2,5, Clodagh M Ryan1,6, http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9344-8522Chung-Wai Chow1,6,7 and Teresa To http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001216.