A study being published soon by the International Journal of Drug Policy, published online ahead of print by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, analyzes the impact of recreational marijuana retailer allocation on emergency department visits in Ontario.
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Researchers from York University, Western University, and the University of Toronto conducted a longitudinal study using health administrative data from ICES (a nonprofit research institute), covering all Ontario residents with public health insurance.
The study examined 278 communities, using Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs) as a proxy, and tracked 11,156,100 adults aged 18 and older from January 2016 to March 2023. The randomized lottery system used to allocate marijuana retailers provided a natural experiment, allowing for a comparison of emergency department visits in FSAs with and without retail stores.
Researchers found no significant effect on emergency department visits related to marijuana, alcohol, or opioids following the allocation of marijuana retailers. Sensitivity analyses, including alternate diagnostic codes, cases involving co-use of marijuana with other substances, and marijuana use without other substances, supported these findings. Researchers suggest that factors such as the availability of online marijuana sales before retail openings, the geographic distribution of stores minimizing access disparities, and possible spillover effects may explain the results.
The study concludes by stating “The allocation of recreational cannabis retailer licenses did not significantly impact acute care use. Continuous monitoring, comprehensive sales tracking, and integrated substance use prevention strategies are recommended for future policy considerations.”
