Marijuana Increasingly Linked to Hospitalization and Death
As some states have moved to legalize marijuana in varying degrees, researchers are learning more and more about the drug and its negative effects–specifically, that it is increasingly tied to emergency room visits and death.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse writes,
“The amount of THC in marijuana samples confiscated by police has been increasing steadily over the past few decades. In 2012, THC concentrations in marijuana averaged close to 15 percent, compared to around 4 percent in the 1980s. For a new user, this may mean exposure to higher concentrations of THC, with a greater chance of an adverse or unpredictable reaction. Increases in potency may account for the rise in emergency department visits involving marijuana use.”
Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana
These findings by the NIDA about marijuana-related emergency room visits track with a study published by the University of Colorado School of Medicine last May which found that, “the proportion of marijuana-positive drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado has increased dramatically since the commercialization of medical marijuana in the middle of 2009.”
Research published by the JAMA Pediatrics medical journal last summer found, “Driving and riding after marijuana use is common among underage, marijuana-using college students. This is concerning given recent legislation that may increase marijuana availability.”