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Staying Healthy
Emergency care visits after cannabis use rising among older adults
Research we're watching
- By Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Contributor; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing, and
- Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch
Cannabis-related visits to hospital emergency departments skyrocketed among older adults over a 14-year period, a new analysis suggests.
Researchers examined data on cannabis-related emergency department visits in California from 2005 through 2019. They found that visits among adults 65 and older jumped from 366 in 2005 to 12,167 in 2019. The findings, published online Jan. 9, 2023, by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, mirror those from an earlier nationwide study.
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About the Author

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewers

Toni Golen, MD, Contributor; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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