Cannabis poisonings among older adults have tripled, study finds [Video]

One may think young people are the main group enjoying the freedom of legalised weed, but in Canada, the greatest increase in users after legalisation was among older adults — and sometimes it’s sending them to the hospital, according to new research.

The rate of emergency department visits for cannabis poisoning in older adults during the period of legalisation of dried cannabis flower and edibles — October 2018 through December 2022 — in Canada was significantly higher than that of the pre-legalisation period, according to a research letter published on Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Edibles, which include baked goods, candies and beverages, are increasingly popular, said lead research author Dr Nathan Stall, a geriatrician and clinician scientist at Sinai Health in Ontario.

But some older adults may be unaware of the strength of today’s weed, and little is known about the …