From 2015 to 2024, there were 251,172 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County (LAC) that listed any cannabis abuse, dependence, use, or poisoning (cannabis-related) as a diagnosis. Cannabis-related hospitalizations increased until 2017, then decreased 17% from 2017-2020, and fluctuated through 2024. In 2024, the annual total for cannabis-related hospitalizations was 24,457 (Figure 1).
From 2016 to 2024, the most common diagnosis for cannabis-related hospitalizations was cannabis abuse (51%), followed by cannabis use without complications (32%), cannabis dependence (12%), cannabis use with complications (4%), and cannabis poisoning (1%) (Figure 2).
Cannabis-related conditions were rarely the main cause for hospitalization. From 2015-2024, a total of 2,761 cases, or 1.1% of cannabis-related hospitalizations, listed cannabis abuse, dependence, use, or poisoning as the principal diagnosis (primary) for the hospitalization. Primary cannabis hospitalizations increased 401% from 2015 to 2019, then decreased by 43% from 2019 to 2022 and plateaued. In 2024, the annual total for primary cannabis hospitalizations was 267 cases (Figure 3).
Among primary cannabis hospitalizations, cannabis poisoning (45%) was the most common diagnosis, followed by cannabis abuse (21%), cannabis dependence (17%), cannabis use with complications (14%), and cannabis use without complications (3%) (Figure 4).
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In 2015-2024, adults aged 45-64 (25%) accounted for the largest proportion of cannabis-related hospitalizations, followed by adults aged 26-34 (23%), young adults aged 18-25 (21%), and adults aged 35-44 (17%) (Figure 5). While cannabis-related hospitalizations among young adults aged 18-25 consistently decreased since 2017, that for the other age groups remained relatively stable over the past decade (Figure 6).
Primary
In 2015-2024, young adults aged 18-25 (27%) accounted for the largest proportion of primary cannabis hospitalizations, followed by youth 0-17 (20%), adults 26-34 (17%), and 45-64 (16%) (Figure 7). Primary cannabis hospitalizations in young adults aged 18-25 increased 234% from 2015 to 2019, then dropped 63% from 2019 to 2022 before increasing again through 2024. Primary cannabis hospitalizations in youth under age 18 increased from 3 cases in 2015 to 80 cases in 2021, surpassing young adults and continued to be the largest age group through 2024 (Figure 8).
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Males accounted for 65% of cannabis-related hospitalizations from 2015-2024 (Figure 9). The gender disparity in cannabis-related hospitalizations remained stable over the past decade (Figure 10).
Primary
Among primary hospitalizations for cannabis, males accounted for a smaller majority (59%). The gender disparity has been decreasing, with females accounting for 31% in 2015, and 44% in 2024 (Figures 11-12).
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From 2019-2024, Hispanic/Latinos (38%) accounted for the largest proportions of cannabis-related hospitalizations in LAC, followed by Whites (26%), and Blacks (25%). The proportion of Hispanic/Latinos increased from 31% in 2015 to 40% in 2024, while the proportion of Whites and Blacks have decreased from 33% to 23% and 29% to 25%, respectively (Figures 13-14).
Primary
Since 2015, Hispanic/Latinos has been the largest race/ethnic group of primary cannabis hospitalizations (Figure 15). All race/ethnic groups had a lower number of primary cannabis hospitalizations in 2024 compared to 2019 (Figure 16).
In LAC from 2015-2024, patients hospitalized for a primary cannabis condition stayed in the hospital for a total of 9,618 hospital days. In 2024, the average length of stay for primary cannabis hospitalizations was 3.8 days.
The average hospital charge for each primary cannabis hospitalization in LAC increased from $36,243 in 2015 to 47,169 in 2024.
Total spending for all primary cannabis hospitalizations increased from $3 million in 2015 to $19 million in 2019, then decreased to $12.6 million in 2024 (Figure 17).
Notes: Hospitalizations for less than 1 day were counted as having a length of stay of 1 day. All costs are adjusted for inflation to 2024 US dollars.
Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), 2015-2024. Nonpublic Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Department data 2015-2024. California Department of Public Health.