#72 Notable Clinical Interest
Emerging findings or policy developments worth monitoring closely.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued warnings about rising cannabis use disorder in children and adolescents, citing increased potency of modern cannabis products and concerning ease of access through both legal and illicit channels. As cannabis legalization expands across jurisdictions, pediatricians report growing numbers of young patients presenting with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and cannabis use disorder characterized by dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms. The accessibility of high-potency products, particularly edibles and concentrates, combined with adolescent vulnerability to addiction and potential impacts on neurodevelopment during critical brain maturation periods, has prompted the pediatric community to advocate for stronger age-based restrictions and public education. Clinicians should recognize that cannabis use in pediatric populations carries distinct risks compared to adults, including impaired cognitive development, academic decline, and progression to substance use disorders. Parents and teenagers often underestimate the risks associated with cannabis, particularly when products are obtained through legal dispensaries, creating a false sense of safety. Pediatricians and family medicine physicians should screen routinely for cannabis use, counsel families on developmental risks specific to youth, and refer affected adolescents to evidence-based treatment programs, as early intervention during vulnerable developmental windows may prevent long-term neurobiological and functional harm.
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? As pediatricians increasingly document cannabis use disorder in younger populations, clinicians should recognize that easy product access, marketing targeting youth, and potency increases have fundamentally altered the landscape of adolescent cannabis exposure compared to previous generations. While the relationship between cannabis use and developmental harms in adolescence remains an active area of research with some methodological limitations, the convergence of behavioral addiction criteria, neurodevelopmental concerns, and concerning epidemiologic trends warrants clinical attention. It is important to acknowledge that cannabis is heterogeneous in formulation, potency, and route of administration, and individual risk factors vary widely, making blanket statements challenging. Nonetheless, pediatric and adolescent medicine providers should incorporate structured screening for cannabis use and use disorder into routine visits, particularly given the difficulty many young patients have in recognizing problematic patterns and the potential for early intervention to alter trajectory.
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