The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
The impact of recreational cannabis legalization on ED visit rates for acute cannabis intoxication.
In December 2018 the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act legalized the recreational use of cannabis in Michigan. There are now high potency forms of cannabis readily available in the state, which could result in increased emergency department (ED) visit rates due to intoxication in adults and children. Although cannabis related visits account for a small percentage of all adult and pediatric ED visits, they impose a significant burden on the health care system's resources. This study aimed to assess the impact of the legalization of recreational marijuana on the rate of ED visits for acute cannabis intoxication. ⋯ The legalization of recreational cannabis in Michigan was associated with an immediate increase in ED visit rates for acute cannabis intoxications across all ages, especially among middle-aged adults, in the context of an stably increasing ED visit rate.
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Low back pain (LBP) is ranked in the top 10 conditions presenting to emergency departments (ED) in Australia. We aimed to investigate ED re-presentation rates and length of stay (LOS) of patients with LBP, including associated factors. ⋯ A re-presentation within 12 months occurs in 7.7% of episodes of LBP in ED. Over one-quarter of patients stayed longer than 4 h.