From 2005 to 2022, there were 323,465 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County (LAC) that listed any cannabis abuse, dependence, use, or poisoning (cannabis-related) as a diagnosis. Cannabis-related hospitalizations increased 273% from 2005 to 2017, then decreased 21% through 2022. In 2022, the annual total for cannabis-related hospitalizations was 22,347 cases (Figure 1).
From 2016 to 2022, the most common diagnosis for cannabis-related hospitalizations was cannabis abuse (50.1%), followed by cannabis use without complications (34.0%), cannabis dependence (11.6%), cannabis use with complications (3.6%), and cannabis poisoning (1.1%) (Figure 2).
Cannabis-related conditions were rarely the main cause for hospitalization. From 2005-2022, a total of 2,710 cases, or 0.8% of cannabis-related hospitalizations, listed cannabis abuse, dependence, use, or poisoning as the principal diagnosis (primary) for the hospitalization. Primary cannabis hospitalizations increased 614% from 2005 to 2019, then decreased by 44% through 2022. In 2022, the annual total for primary cannabis hospitalizations was 237 cases (Figure 3).
Among primary cannabis hospitalizations, cannabis poisoning (46.2%) was the most common diagnosis, followed by cannabis abuse (31.8%), cannabis dependence (18.1%), cannabis use with complications (16.5%), and cannabis use without complications (8.2%) (Figure 4).
In 2005-2022, adults aged 45-64 (26%) accounted for the largest proportion of cannabis-related hospitalizations, followed by young adults aged 18-25 (24%), adults aged 26-34 (21%), and adults aged 35-44 (17%) (Figure 5). The age distribution of cannabis-related hospitalizations remained relatively consistent over the period (Figure 6).
In 2005-2022, young adults aged 18-25 (29.1%) accounted for the largest proportion of primary cannabis hospitalizations, followed by adults 26-34 (16.8%), and 45-64 (15.0%) (Figure 7). From 2009-2021, young adults aged 18-25 had the most annual primary cannabis hospitalizations of all age groups, though the number decreased 63% from 2019 to 2022. In 2022, children aged 0-11 had the largest number of primary cannabis hospitalizations, surpassing young adults (Figure 8).
Males accounted for nearly two-thirds (66.1%) of cannabis-related hospitalizations from 2005-2022 (Figure 9). The gender disparity has been gradually decreasing, with males accounting for about 70% of cannabis-related hospitalizations in 2005, to about 63% in 2022 (Figure 10).
Among primary hospitalizations for cannabis, males accounted for the majority of hospitalizations (62.1%). The gender disparity has been decreasing as females accounted for an increasing proportion from 22.0% to 44.3% from 2005-2022, while that for males decreased (Figures 11-12).
From 2005-2022, Latinxs (32.7%) and Whites (31.5%) accounted for the largest proportions of cannabis-related hospitalizations in LAC, followed by Blacks (28.3%). The proportion of Latinxs increased from 24.3% in 2005 to 38.6% in 2022, while the proportion of Blacks decreased from 31.7% to 24.8% (Figures 13-14).
Since 2015, Latinx has been the largest race/ethnic group of primary cannabis hospitalizations. There were decreases for all race/ethnic groups since 2019 (Figures 15-16).
In LAC from 2012-2022, patients hospitalized for a primary cannabis condition stayed in the hospital for a total of 8,565 hospital days. In 2022, the average length of stay for primary cannabis hospitalizations was 3.1 days.
The average hospital charge for each primary cannabis hospitalization in LAC increased from $22,947 in 2012 to $42,210 in 2019, then decreased to $35,296 in 2022.
Total spending for all primary cannabis hospitalizations increased from $1.1 million in 2012 to $17.8 million in 2019, then decreased to $8.4 million in 2022 (Figure 17).
Note: Hospitalizations for less than 1 day were counted as having a length of stay of 1 day. All costs are adjusted for inflation to 2022 US dollars.
Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI, formally OSHPD), 2005-2022. Nonpublic Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Department data 2005-2022. California Department of Public Health.