Key Messages
Overall
By Sex
By Age
By Deprivation
Technical Notes
Key Messages
- The rate of cannabis related harms emergency visits in 2021 is more than double the rate from 2015 and more than five-times the rate from 2011.
- Youth and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 years have the highest rate of cannabis related harms emergency visits and the local rate for this age group is significantly higher than the provincial average.
- Those living in areas with the most material deprivation have more than double the rate of cannabis related harms emergency visits when compared with those living in areas with the least amount of deprivation.
Overall
In 2021, there were approximately 785 emergency department visits due to cannabis related harms among Simcoe Muskoka residents for an age-standardized rate of 139 (129.8, 149.6) visits per 100,000 population, which was significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 122 (120.2, 123.8) visits per 100,000 population.
The rate of emergency department visits from cannabis related harms in Simcoe Muskoka did not change significantly from 2003 to 2009; however, from 2009 to 2020 the rate increased, on average, by 21 (18.1, 23.3) per cent per year. The 2020 rate was more than double the rate from 2015 and more than five-times the rate from 2011. There was also a significant increasing trend for the overall Ontario rates during the same period; however, the Simcoe Muskoka rates increased significantly faster. In 2021, the rate in Simcoe Muskoka did not change when compared with 2020; however, the provincial rate increased significantly from the previous year.
By Sex
In 2021, the age-standardized rate for cannabis related harms emergency department visits among Simcoe Muskoka males was 144 (130.4, 158.5) visits per 100,000, which was not significantly different from the female rate of 135 (121.7, 150.0) visits per 100,000.
The cannabis related harms emergency visit rates among Simcoe Muskoka males and females followed a similar trend from 2009 to 2020, both increasing by approximately 20 per cent per year on average over this 12-year period. The male rates were above the female rates for the entire period. 2021 was the first year where male and female rates in Simcoe Muskoka followed a different pattern, with the male rate decreasing by 8% and the female increasing by 7%.
By Age
For the time period from 2017 to 2021 (combined) in Simcoe Muskoka, emergency visits due to cannabis related harms were highest among youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years at 411 (390.1, 432.7) visits per 100,000. This was more than double the rate for adults 25 to 44 years of age and more than ten-times the rate for any other age group. The age-specific rates for cannabis related harms emergency visits in Simcoe Muskoka were significantly higher than the provincial rates for those between 15 to 44 years of age over this five year period of time.
Rates of cannabis related harms emergency visits were significantly higher among Simcoe Muskoka males between the ages of 25 and 64 when compared with females. This difference was greatest among those 25 to 44 years of age.
By Deprivation
For the period from 2017 to 2021 (combined), Simcoe Muskoka residents living in areas with the highest amount of material deprivation (as measured by the 2016 Ontario Marginalization Index) had more than double the rate of cannabis related harms emergency visits when compared with those living in areas with the least amount of material deprivation.
Technical Notes
As of October 17th, 2018 recreational cannabis is legal for adults in Ontario who are 19 years of age or older. For the purpose of this HealthSTATS page, emergency department visits from cannabis related harms are defined as unscheduled emergency department visits with any diagnosis code specifying a cannabis related poisoning (ICD-10 code T40.7) or a cannabis related mental health condition (ICD-10 codes F12.0-F12.9). In 2020, approximately 16% of all cannabis related harms emergency department visits in Simcoe Muskoka were due to cannabis poisonings.
Page last modified February 23, 2023