Cannabis-related emergency department visits on the rise in Kentucky, especially among youth
Kentucky Health News
Kentucky saw a steady increase in emergency department visits related to cannabis use among Kentucky residents between 2018 and 2024, with some of the steepest rises occurring among children and adolescents, according to a new report from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center.
The report, produced by KIPRC, found that between 2023 and 2024, cannabis-related poisonings among Kentuckians under age 18 rose 43%, from 148 to 212 visits.
“That kind of jump raises concerns about unintentional exposures and increased household access to cannabis products,” Mira Mirzaian, a KIPRC epidemiologist, said in a news release. “Many cannabis products, particularly gummies or edibles containing CBD or Delta-8, are packaged in ways that may be enticing or easily mistaken for candy by young children. This, to me, highlights the importance of public education and secure product storage in homes where these items are present.”
The report also found that one diagnosis, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition involving severe repeated vomiting related to long-term cannabis use, saw a steep increase. ED visits for CHS more than doubled statewide from 2021 to 2024. Among the 1,800 CHS diagnoses in 2024, 1,055 were among adults aged 25 and older, 604 were 18-24, and 141 were in children.
“The sharp rise in cases coded as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome over the past few years suggests growing clinical recognition of the condition,” said Mirzaian. “At the same time, the increase could also reflect a true rise in incidence, especially as high-potency cannabis products become more widely available in the United States.”
According to the release, Mirzaian and epidemiologist Lara Daniels used data from the Kentucky Outpatient Services Database, maintained by the Office of Data and Analytics within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The report used an “any mention” approach, meaning cases were included if cannabis-related codes appeared anywhere in the medical record.
“This method is commonly used in public health surveillance to ensure we don’t miss relevant encounters where cannabis may have been a contributing factor, but not the main reason for the visit,” said Mirzaian.
The data also pointed to rising rates of synthetic cannabis poisoning since 2022, increasing to 70 diagnoses in 2024, up from 43 in 2022. Mirzaian said these substances can produce unpredictable and sometimes severe effects.
“The increase we’re seeing since 2022 may reflect provider awareness and documentation using the appropriate ICD-10 codes, rather than a sudden emergence of these substances,” she said.
ICD-10 stands for International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification, the standardized system used in the United States to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures related to inpatient and outpatient medical care.
Although males typically account for more cannabis-related ED visits overall, the report shows that this difference is diminishing, suggesting a growing impact across both groups, according to Mirzaian.
The report also found racial and ethnic disparities.
“Non-Hispanic white Kentuckians represented the largest number of cannabis-related ED visits,” she said. “However, visits among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic residents also rose steadily over the seven-year period, indicating a broadening demographic impact that warrants continued attention.”
The report found that cannabis was listed as a contributing cause of death in more than 60 fatalities annually in Kentucky from 2018 to 2024, although cannabis typically was not the sole cause.
“These fatalities should absolutely be interpreted with caution,” Mirzaian said in the release. “In all identified cases, cannabis poisoning was listed as a contributing cause of death, not the underlying cause. In this context, cannabis may contribute to overall risk, but it is unlikely to be the sole cause of death.”
Mirzaian noted that the state’s suppression of any count between one and four and any rate-based counts less than 10 is a limitation.
“This is especially relevant when interpreting data for smaller demographic groups or counties,” she said. “While the suppression is essential for maintaining privacy, it can limit the level of detail available.”