The Clinical and Policy Landscape of Marijuana and Youth

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Poison Control Centers around the country are fielding a rise in calls related to children’s ingestion of marijuana derived products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

From young children (ages 0-6) to adolescents, youth are consuming products with very high THC levels. These trends follow the increasing availability and potency of products containing THC. While there is a growing body of evidence on health impacts of THC consumption on youth, keeping pace with the evolving market availability of products is challenging. Research on the implications of marijuana policy on the safety of children is critical, as is the implementation of evidence-based solutions to prevent child injury. 

On June 13, 2024, PolicyLab and The Poison Control Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) hosted a virtual conversation titled, “The Clinical and Policy Landscape of Marijuana and Youth,” with pediatric clinicians, researchers, and experts in substance use treatment, policy, and injury prevention who discussed research on THC and youth, practice and policy considerations, and a changing landscape.

Panelists included:

  • Jesse Hinckley, MD, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist

  • Frank P. James, MD, JD, medical director, Substance Use and Addiction Services Program Development in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at CHOP

  • Kevin Osterhoudt, MD, MSCE, attending physician in CHOP’s emergency department and medical director of The Poison Control Center at CHOP

  • Terri L. Randall, MD, attending psychiatrist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at CHOP, and Radha Pennotti, MPH, PolicyLab’s policy and strategy manager (moderators)

Authors:

Hinckley J, James FP, Osterhoudt KC, Randall TL, Pennotti R