#68 Notable Clinical Interest
Emerging findings or policy developments worth monitoring closely.
If cannabis is stored at home without child-resistant containers, even occasional or recreational adult use significantly increases the risk of accidental ingestion and emergency room visits for children in that household.
Cannabis legalization for adults in Maryland has been accompanied by an unintended consequence seen across many states: increased accidental exposures in children and a rise in cannabis-related emergency visits among both pediatric and adult populations. Proper storage is one of the most evidence-supported harm reduction strategies available, as the majority of pediatric ingestions occur when cannabis products are left accessible in the home. Providing secure, child-resistant storage solutions at accessible community points like vending machines represents a practical public health intervention that addresses the gap between legalization policy and household safety education.
“Legalization without a parallel investment in storage education and accessible harm reduction tools is an incomplete public health policy, and pediatric exposure rates are the predictable cost of that gap.”
⚖️ This initiative highlights a critical public health gap: despite cannabis legalization, many households lack proper storage solutions, creating unintended pediatric exposure risks.
🔹 Accidental ingestion of edibles remains a leading cause of pediatric cannabis toxicity, with symptoms ranging from sedation to severe behavioral changes and, rarely, seizures in young children.
⚖️ The uptick in cannabis-related ED visits since legalization underscores the importance of prevention strategies alongside regulation. Safe storage education should be standard practice whenever cannabis is dispensed.
💊 Healthcare providers should routinely counsel patients on storage best practices, as many are unaware that locked containers significantly reduce child access and accidental poisoning.
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