Driven By Facts: Cannabis Public Health Data Sets The Standard In Maryland

The Maryland Department of Health has introduced the Cannabis Public Health Data Dashboard, a tool designed to track the impacts of adult-use cannabis legalization, which took effect in July 2023.

This new resource provides data-driven insights into trends such as emergency department visits, youth cannabis use, poison center calls and utilization of substance use services.

The goal is to aid public health officials in developing targeted interventions and policies based on real-time data. The new dashboard adds to the already published Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Data Dashboard, which features monthly updated data for sales, volumes, plants and other indicators.

In this article, we dive into the facts shared by these public dashboards that set the cannabis statistics standard high.

1. Youth Cannabis Use Declines Following Legalization

Contrary to concerns that legalization might increase youth cannabis consumption, the dashboard shows a decline in usage among Maryland's younger population following legalization.

Middle school cannabis use dropped from 9% in 2012-13 to 4.6% in the 2022-23 school year. High school students also reported decreased usage, falling from 35.9% a decade ago to 23% in the most recent survey.

2. Cannabis-Related Emergency Department Visits Up 44% Among Young Adults

The legalization of adult-use cannabis has coincided with a noticeable rise in cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits, particularly among young adults aged 20-29. Data from the dashboard indicate a 44% increase in ED visits involving cannabis from 2022 to 2023, highlighting potential health risks tied to higher consumption rates, a tendency that’s far more pronounced among men.

Poison center calls have also surged, especially among children under 14, with incidents nearly doubling for those under nine and tripling for those aged 10-14. These trends underscore the need for ongoing public education on safe usage and product storage, and the need to work on preventing these groups from accessing cannabis products.

3. Overdose Deaths = Opioids Dominate

The dashboard includes non-cannabis-related health information. The state recorded 1,891 total overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024, with 1,507 linked to fentanyl, highlighting the ongoing opioid crisis. As expected, Maryland's overdose statistics show that cannabis is not a contributing factor to overdose deaths, since its risk profile is distinct from that of more dangerous substances like opioids (1632 reported deaths), fentanyl (1507), and alcohol (that accounted for 315 deaths in the reported period).

Read Also: Maryland Cannabis Company Fined For Advertising At Age-Restricted Events

4. Robust Growth In Maryland's Legal Cannabis Market

The economic dashboard also shows that Maryland's legal cannabis market has shown strong growth since the legalization of adult-use sales. The market has reached year-to-date sales of over $848.7 million, driven predominantly by adult-use transactions, which far exceed medical marijuana sales.

The market consists of 163 licensed businesses, including 98 dispensaries, 18 growers, 23 processors, and 20 ancillary businesses.

Patient participation remains robust, with over 108,000 registered patients and an average annual spend of $1,166.97 per patient. The median price per gram of cannabis stands at $9.63, while total monthly sales continue to climb steadily.

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5. Data-Driven Approach Aims To Balance Growth And Public Health

The introduction of the Cannabis Public Health Data Dashboard marks a significant step in Maryland's efforts to monitor and manage the impacts of cannabis legalization.

By providing detailed, accessible data, the state aims to foster evidence-based policymaking and address health disparities, while supporting an industry that has the potential to boost local economies and offer safer alternatives to more harmful substances.

• Read Next: Leadership Shake-Ups In Cannabis And Psychedelics: Maryland’s Cannabis Chief Resigns, Costly Legal Battle In MA Drags On & More

Cover: Dashboard