According to the Minnesota Department of Health, from 2018 to 2023, the number of marijuana hospital-treated poisonings for children aged 4 and under increased by 733%:
- 2018: 12 poisonings
- 2019: 11 poisonings
- 2020: 17 poisonings
- 2021: 42 poisonings
- 2022: 57 poisonings
- 2023: 100 poisonings
On July 1, 2022, low-dose hemp edibles were legalized in Minnesota. On August 1, 2023, Minnesota then legalized marijuana. From 2022 to 2023, hospital visits among children aged 4 and under increased by 75%, while adults over the age of 50 saw a 57% increase.
This November, there are multiple ballot initiatives to legalize either medical or recreational marijuana. Some of these ballot initiatives are happening in Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. If they pass, more innocent children will be harmed by marijuana.