Marijuana Tourism in Colorado Leads to Increase in Emergency Room Visits

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, February 25, 2016

"A growing number of 'marijuana tourists' in Colorado are ending up in the emergency room, a new study finds.

The number of out-of-state tourists in Colorado who visited the emergency room with marijuana-related medical problems at the University of Colorado Hospital doubled between 2013 and 2014, researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Retail sales of marijuana began in 2014.

During the same period, marijuana-related visits to the ER by Colorado residents remained steady, HealthDay reports. Study co-author Dr. Andrew Monte said this suggests that local residents have become better educated about marijuana use. Medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 2000." Read more

For resources to speak with youth about the dangers of substance abuse, click here.