Trends in Substance-Related Visits Among Youth to US Children’s Hospitals, 2016-2021: An Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System Database

A March 2024 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health is shedding light on a troubling trend: a significant increase in visits to children’s hospitals for substance-related issues.

The study’s authors—who include Alexis Ball of Seattle Children’s Hospital and Scott Hadland of MassGeneral Hospital for Children—examined data from the Pediatric Health Information System database, which has records from over 49 children’s hospitals across the United States.… Read the rest

Association Between Non-Medical Cannabis Legalization and Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis-Induced Psychosis

In 2018, the Cannabis Act legalized recreational cannabis across Canada, making it the second country to pass such legislation, after Uruguay. Now, Canadians as young as 18 can purchase the drug—even though a growing body of research shows that cannabis use is particularly dangerous to the adolescent brain, as it negatively affects neurocognitive performance, brain development, and brain functioning.… Read the rest

Cannabis Use Is Associated with Depression Severity and Suicidality in the National Comorbidity Survey—Adolescent Supplement

Over recent years, people in the United States have become more aware of the nation’s mental health crisis. And there’s been a lot of concern surrounding mental health and American youth in particular, considering that 11%–17% of teens in the country experience major depression in their lives, putting them at a higher risk of suicide.… Read the rest

Factors Associated with the Use of Cannabis for Self-Medication by Adults: Data from the French TEMPO Cohort Study

Medical and recreational cannabis are illegal in France. But that hasn’t stopped its residents from using the substance. In fact, a study in 2021 shows that France has one of the highest levels of cannabis use among European countries.

Solène Wallez, among seven other researchers, set out to understand why French residents are prone to using cannabis to self-medicate.… Read the rest