Hospitalizations of young children because of accidental cannabis ingestion have been on the rise not only in Michigan but across the country. From 2020 to 2022, more than 400 kids under 6 in Michigan were taken to the emergency department due to marijuana ingestion. Around 80 of them were admitted to critical care units. This increase comes after the establishment of legal recreational dispensaries in Michigan. Experts point out that some of the marijuana edibles sold at these dispensaries resemble candy in both appearance and taste but contain highly potent doses of THC.

Impact on Children's Health

Some children arrive at the ER seemingly in a coma. Others face difficulties in breathing, and in rare cases, they need to be intubated. Their heart rates may become dangerously slow or beat incredibly fast. Some are limp and unresponsive, while others alternate between intense drowsiness and agitation. ER doctors often hear from parents that they have no clue what is happening. It is only after extensive workups, including CT scans that expose children to radiation, to rule out other conditions that the lab results show positive for THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. "These kids present in a potentially extremely sick state and truly require all our resuscitative efforts to save their lives," said Dr. Erica Michiels, an emergency medicine physician and the chair of pediatrics at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. "This was something I didn't witness before marijuana was legalized in Michigan."

Comparison with Other States

Michigan is one of several states experiencing a significant surge in the hospitalization of kids under 6 due to unintentionally ingesting dangerous levels of cannabis after legalization. The reason is that these marijuana products often look and taste like common candies, cookies, and chocolate. Moreover, the products themselves are now much more potent than in the past, making it easier for small children to quickly consume potentially toxic amounts of THC. "Many of the packages look like a regular package of gummy bears that a child is familiar with opening and eating the whole package," Michiels said. "This can lead to a massive overdose in a very young child."

Increase in Hospitalizations

In the first two full years since legal recreational marijuana dispensaries opened in Michigan, there was a 74% increase in reports of cannabis ingestions among children under 6, according to the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center. More than 400 of these kids went to the emergency department, and over 230 were hospitalized, with about 80 kids admitted to critical care units. However, this is likely an undercount as not all hospitals report pediatric cannabis ingestions to poison control. Nationally, between 2017 and 2021, the number of kids under 6 experiencing unintentional cannabis exposure soared by more than 1,000%. In 2021 alone, there were more than 3,000 such exposures, along with a "significant increase in the severity of acute toxicity" resulting in more critical care admissions and hospitalizations across the board. "The potency has increased in many cases with these small doses," said Varun Vohra, director and clinical toxicologist at the Poison and Drug Information Center at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. "So, it doesn't take a large amount to reach the 'toxic threshold.' It could be a child who is extremely drowsy for a long time, not behaving normally, or not eating or drinking. In the worst-case scenario, they may lose their airway due to severe respiratory depression and have seizures."

Medical Treatment and Outcomes

Most children only need some time for the effects to subside. With proper fluids and monitoring to ensure their breathing remains stable, they usually recover well. But an increasing number of children require intensive care, and some may need to stay in the hospital for several days. "I would say that children can die from this if they don't receive medical support," Michiels said. "Most parents would reasonably think, 'Wow, I had no idea this could be so serious. I will take all my marijuana and lock it up because I never want this to happen to my child.' But I believe many people are unaware that a marijuana ingestion can be this serious."