By analyzing the use of ICD-9 codes related to cannabis across 100 Colorado hospitals, researchers found that between 2012 and 2014, the number of out-of-state residents who purchased legal marijuana and ended up in the emergency room doubled.
Pot tourists may be suffering from an awareness gap, according to the authors. The Colorado Department of Public Health takes measures to educate the state population about safe consumption and responsible use, but when tourists from out-of-state indulge, they may not have had exposure to those warnings.
“I remember some business travelers who were in Denver on business, and after the meeting ended, they decided to try some marijuana edibles. Then they ended up cutting to the ER,” Howard Kim, MD, of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told NPR.
The numbers suggest in-state residents are doing somewhat better than tourists at managing their highs — from 2011 to 2014 emergency room visits relating to marijuana increased from 61 to 101 per 10,000 visits for Coloradoans.
“Emergency department visits related to cannabis use appear to be increasing more rapidly among out-of-state residents than among Colorado residents,” the authors conclude. “The initial educational efforts through mass media have focused primarily on Colorado residents. These data underscore the importance of point-of-sale education for visitors regarding the safe and appropriate use of marijuana products.”
More articles on patient flow:
10 things to know about short-term return visits to hospitals EDs
TeleTracking celebrates 25 years of excellence
Vitals Chair allows patients to record their own vitals, cut down on wait time
