United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Legalized pot sends more teens to ER in Colorado, study finds
Source:
cbsnews.com
URL Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pot-leg ... ed-colorado-teens-hospital-er/
Published: May 8, 2017
Author: DENNIS THOMPSON
Post Date: 2017-05-09 05:15:40 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 3350
Comments: 11
A Colorado children's hospital saw four times as many marijuana-intoxicated teenagers land in its ER or urgent care centers following legalization of recreational pot in that state, a new study reports. The number of teens diagnosed annually with marijuana intoxication or testing positive for pot during a drug screen at Children's Hospital Colorado rose from 146 in 2005 to 639 in 2014. The findings run counter to national surveys that have shown no increase in teenage pot use in states where recreational marijuana is legal, said lead researcher Dr. George Sam Wang. He's an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. For example, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found a similar percentage of teenagers reported pot use in 2015 as in the prior decade, researchers said in background notes. "Our study shows that there have to be other ways we can follow the impact of legalization on the adolescent population," Wang said. "We know that nationwide, marijuana is the most abused drug in the adolescent age group, and there's been a decline in their perception of risk for marijuana use. They think it's not as risky to use it as in years prior." Eight states and the District of Columbia allow recreational marijuana use. Colorado approved commercialization of medical marijuana in 2010 and legalized recreational marijuana use in 2014. For the study, Wang and his colleagues reviewed emergency department and urgent care records for 13- to 21-year-olds treated between January 2005 and June 2015. The researchers looked for visits where the patient either had a diagnostic code related to marijuana use or a positive urine screen showing pot in their system. The rate of emergency department and urgent care visits by stoned teenagers more than doubled -- from 1.7 per 1,000 patients in 2009 to 4 per 1,000 in 2015, said Wang. Teenagers with symptoms of mental illness accounted for two-thirds of the 3,443 marijuana-related visits detected by the researchers. In addition, more than half of the teenagers also had positive urine tests for other drugs, according to the report. Ethanol, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, opiates and cocaine were most commonly detected, the researchers said. According to Sean Clarkin of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, "That raises the question of what landed them in the ER. Was it the marijuana, or was it one of these other drugs?" Clarkin is the director of strategy and programs at the nonprofit organization. Wang agreed that his study does not show that pot caused these kids to need emergency care. "All it is saying is we are seeing more teenagers coming into the ER or urgent care who are being diagnosed with cannabis abuse or have a urine drug screen positive for marijuana," Wang said. The increase also could be "the result of increased awareness and an increased emphasis toward detection by hospital staff," said Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML, an advocacy group for reform of marijuana laws. "My presumption is the latter, since both nationwide and state-specific data shows little change in youth marijuana use rates post-legalization," Armentano added. However, Clarkin said, the study does show that national surveys may overlook kids who are using pot but not necessarily smoking it. "Some of these national data sets which show a decline in teen marijuana use, it's not clear how effectively these data sets are catching the edibles, vaping, the non- traditional means of ingesting marijuana," Clarkin said. "It occurs to me that particularly among the young folks, edibles and vaping may be playing a role here." Clarkin said it can be difficult to judge dosage when eating pot-laced goodies, since the drug's effect builds slowly when ingested. Other studies have shown that people are at greater risk of an overdose with pot edibles compared to smoking marijuana, he added. The study results are scheduled for presentation May 8 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in San Francisco. The findings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Gatlin (#0)
...both nationwide and state-specific data shows little change in youth marijuana use rates post-legalization...
As time marches on the horrors of legalizing marijuana continue to unfold. I believe it to be a drug as dangerous to those who use it as cocaine. Further, I believe that Singapore has the right idea on how to eliminate a drug problem from its populace: There is a difference as to how drug dealing and drug using is handled. If one is a user they are officered rehabilitative treatment for the first offence. For the second offence they are given a jail term. If that doesn't work they are executed. For drug dealers there is no second chance. They are hanged. America will never allow this 'draconian' approach to a serious and escalating problem; therefore, the nation will continue to spend billions upon billions of inflated dollars to pretend as though authorities are fighting the drug problem. Colorado and other states who legalize marijuana should be avoided. Voters who cast their vote for 'medical' marijuana have just allowed the camel's snout under the tent. Carnage ensues as new drug users are created. Liberals are a lot like Slinkys, they're good for nothing but they bring a smile to your face as you shove them down the stairs.
All medical evidence to the contrary. And your insanity continues. You and misterwhite both. Gatlin maybe too. Thats the kicker. They could have just been near someone breathed the air and then tested positive for thc. They could have eaten something with pot in it and never known. This has always been an issue with me on both sides. Im for decriminalizing pot but im also believe there is an extra responsibility for users not to affect others. People can lose their job and or security clearance but never do anything wrong. You could smoke this stuff near someone or put it in their food then turn around and blackmail them. Pot is going to be legalized in time. Its how we deal with it that counts. Stick your head in the sand and say no is not going to help. Nor is saying I have the right to do it and you have no right to stop me or punish me isn't either. Someone has to be the grownup here.
Insanity? You're apparently a walking example of wrong-headed thinking that is no doubt due to sucking too much acrid marijuana smoke into your putrid lungs.
Liberals are a lot like Slinkys, they're good for nothing but they bring a smile to your face as you shove them down the stairs.
Are you, Deckhand, now advanced to the cocaine stage of addiction? Your responses and postings would appear to indicate the answer as yes.
Liberals are a lot like Slinkys, they're good for nothing but they bring a smile to your face as you shove them down the stairs.
You gonna execute anyone caught drinking or who has an alcohol problem too? If not - you're a hypocrite. You concerned about kids using pot? Maybe you should focus your outrage on alcohol instead. As I have posted numerous times, I do not use any drugs. You don't have to be on cocaine or any other drug to see the insanity of your proposed "solution" to the drug problem You're a regular Walkin' Dude / Randall Flagg, aren't you? And you're either a crazed Libertarian or a left-wing kook!
Liberals are a lot like Slinkys, they're good for nothing but they bring a smile to your face as you shove them down the stairs.
You and misterwhite both. Gatlin maybe too.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#2. To: Gatlin (#0)
#3. To: HomerBohn (#2)
I believe it to be a drug as dangerous to those who use it as cocaine.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#4. To: HomerBohn (#2)
There is a difference as to how drug dealing and drug using is handled. If one is a user they are officered rehabilitative treatment for the first offence. For the second offence they are given a jail term. If that doesn't work they are executed.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#5. To: Gatlin (#0)
The number of teens diagnosed annually with marijuana intoxication or testing positive for pot during a drug screen at Children's Hospital Colorado rose from 146 in 2005 to 639 in 2014.
#6. To: Deckard (#4)
#7. To: Deckard (#3)
#8. To: HomerBohn (#6)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#9. To: HomerBohn (#7)
(Edited)
Are you, Deckhand, now advanced to the cocaine stage of addiction?
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#10. To: Deckard (#9)
#11. To: Deckard, HomerBohn, misterwhite (#4)
And your insanity continues.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]