View this email in your browser

Your source for the latest news in drug policy. Visit our website for more news.

This is The Drug Report’s Friday Fact report - Mapping the Delta-8, Delta-9, or any THC-Related Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations through News Reports

Important Notes For This Friday Fact Report:

1. Non-Scientific Study Disclaimer: This compilation is not a scientific study; rather, it's an aggregate of readily available news reports. It is incomplete as it relies solely on local news stories reporting events and not data from state or federal agencies.

2. Legal Status Variation: Despite being labeled as “legal” products, some items mentioned may be in transition or may not comply with laws and regulations in certain regions, including on the state or federal level.

3. Uncertainty in THC Source: Not all reports specify the source or type of THC involved, such as Delta-8 or other variants. As such, conclusions drawn from these reports should be approached with caution due to this lack of clarity.

Our latest resource, “Mapping the Delta-8, Delta-9, or any THC-Related Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations through News Reports” is now live.

This map provides an insightful view of news stories surrounding THC-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations across the country. This tool not only includes locations but also provides insights into each incident. For every pin on the map, you can find the number of children or adults affected, along with a link to the news source that reported the event. The map uses a color-coded system to differentiate between pediatric (blue) and adult (red) hospitalizations.

The map encompasses a variety of THC types, including Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC, and more. Note: There were nearly 1,000,000 marijuana-related emergency department visits in 2022, according to the federal Drug Abuse Warning Network. Many of these were not covered by any news outlet. 

For example, one incident documented in Madera, California, involved multiple middle schoolers who were rushed to the hospital following accidental THC ingestion. More details about this event can be found in the full news report here.

Notably, there have been no reported THC-related emergency visits or hospitalizations in Idaho, according to available news reports. Idaho has no legal THC, and the lack of reported incidences could suggest the efficacy of its stringent regulations in preventing associated incidents.

The map will be updated as more stories emerge. Feel free to share additional stories with Marcus Edelstein at [email protected].

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is an alliance of organizations and individuals dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy. We are professionals working in mental health and public health. We are bipartisan. We are medical doctors, lawmakers, treatment providers, preventionists, teachers, law enforcement officers and others who seek a middle road between incarceration and legalization. Our commonsense, third-way approach to marijuana policy is based on reputable science and sound principles of public health and safety.