09-07-2025, 02:36 PM
N.Y. emergency rooms see spike in cannabis-related visits
BY Shalon Stevens Syracuse
PUBLISHED 4:07 PM ET Sep. 07, 2025
Since the legalization of marijuana in 2021 in New York, emergency rooms have seen a spike in cannabis-related visits.
“A lot of what’s available in legal dispensaries or even what’s available in the street is that the THC content is much higher than it used to be. So people are starting to experience some bad effects,” said Dr. Max Berube, an emergency room physician and the Department Vice Chair for Mohawk Valley Health System.
He says because cannabis is legal in the state, more people are experimenting. However, it has caused an increase in ER visits.
“Some of it is intractable nausea and vomiting to the point where you actually need to come to the emergency department so that we can rehydrate you and replenish some of the electrolytes that you use,” said Berube. “Sometimes you’re altered. So alterations in mental status, it takes hours if not a day or two to clear, especially in younger children.”
“So the issue here is not just thinking about the product but the system around it, the lack of one,” said Dr. June Chin, the chief medical officer for New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management.
She says it’s important to think about education.
“I always tell my colleagues they have to be educated, physicians, nurse practitioners. We have to be educated in cannabis medicine,” said Chin. “The way you ask questions is not like, ‘do you use cannabis?’ It’s, ‘have you considered cannabis for your pain? How is your pain level?’”
In addition, Chin says consumers should go to regulated dispensaries.
“We call it our personal cannabis consultation program to just gauge if it’s a new user or if it’s an experienced user, and then we can take them down the road to get them what they actually need,” said Ryan Martin, owner of MJ Dispensary.
He says they get many customers who used to go to illegal markets.
“They’re asking for stuff with 15 milligrams in it because that’s what they think they are used to. When in actuality, what they were buying was not 15 milligrams, it was just false advertising on the illegal product that was being sold,” said Martin.
He says in New York, dispensaries are required to have their products labeled and the maximum dosage is 10 milligrams for anything being ingested.
“We educate our customers as best as possible. These here, they just let you know what not to do if you’re having your cannabis. There’s limits to purchasing,” said Martin.
“We have a whole library of resources on our website that talks about starting low and going slow, making sure you’re using regulated cannabis, making sure you’re reading the label,” said Chin.
BY Shalon Stevens Syracuse
PUBLISHED 4:07 PM ET Sep. 07, 2025
Since the legalization of marijuana in 2021 in New York, emergency rooms have seen a spike in cannabis-related visits.
“A lot of what’s available in legal dispensaries or even what’s available in the street is that the THC content is much higher than it used to be. So people are starting to experience some bad effects,” said Dr. Max Berube, an emergency room physician and the Department Vice Chair for Mohawk Valley Health System.
He says because cannabis is legal in the state, more people are experimenting. However, it has caused an increase in ER visits.
“Some of it is intractable nausea and vomiting to the point where you actually need to come to the emergency department so that we can rehydrate you and replenish some of the electrolytes that you use,” said Berube. “Sometimes you’re altered. So alterations in mental status, it takes hours if not a day or two to clear, especially in younger children.”
“So the issue here is not just thinking about the product but the system around it, the lack of one,” said Dr. June Chin, the chief medical officer for New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management.
She says it’s important to think about education.
“I always tell my colleagues they have to be educated, physicians, nurse practitioners. We have to be educated in cannabis medicine,” said Chin. “The way you ask questions is not like, ‘do you use cannabis?’ It’s, ‘have you considered cannabis for your pain? How is your pain level?’”
In addition, Chin says consumers should go to regulated dispensaries.
“We call it our personal cannabis consultation program to just gauge if it’s a new user or if it’s an experienced user, and then we can take them down the road to get them what they actually need,” said Ryan Martin, owner of MJ Dispensary.
He says they get many customers who used to go to illegal markets.
“They’re asking for stuff with 15 milligrams in it because that’s what they think they are used to. When in actuality, what they were buying was not 15 milligrams, it was just false advertising on the illegal product that was being sold,” said Martin.
He says in New York, dispensaries are required to have their products labeled and the maximum dosage is 10 milligrams for anything being ingested.
“We educate our customers as best as possible. These here, they just let you know what not to do if you’re having your cannabis. There’s limits to purchasing,” said Martin.
“We have a whole library of resources on our website that talks about starting low and going slow, making sure you’re using regulated cannabis, making sure you’re reading the label,” said Chin.