According to Missouri Governor Parson, the number of cannabis poisonings among children has increased by 600%. Is that true?

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft this week rejected for the second time emergency orders from Governor Mike Parson's administration that would crack down on unregulated hemp-derived cannabis edibles.

Ashcroft's initial opposition to the regulations drew immediate condemnation from Republican Parson, who argued that Ashcroft would endanger children by consuming the products. The Republican secretary of state followed suit with another opposition on Tuesday.

These measures will likely delay implementation of the emergency measures, possibly until after Parson leaves office in January. Parson justified his decision to crack down on the products by citing an extraordinary rise in cannabis poisonings among children.

Parsons' office said in two recent press releases that the number of children under the age of five visiting the emergency room or being hospitalized for cannabis poisoning has increased 600 percent since 2018.

This sharp increase is based on data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and was captured through a system that collects information on hospital discharges.

Data provided to The Star shows the number of people, by age group, who went to the emergency room or hospital with cannabis poisoning. In 2018, 21 children under the age of six went to the emergency room or hospital with cannabis poisoning. In 2023, the number rose to 152 people – an increase of more than 623%.

Among adults ages 21 and older, the number of people experiencing cannabis poisoning has increased by 55% since 2018, data shows.

Lisa Cox, a spokeswoman for DHSS, said the data uses a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention code to identify cannabis poisonings. This data includes both marijuana and hemp. The agency is unable to provide the number of hemp versus marijuana poisonings, she said.

This comparison could be important because Missouri voters voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018 and recreational use in 2022.

Hemp industry resists

The MO Hemp Trade Association, which represents the state's hemp industry, opposed Parsons' rule, arguing that banning certain hemp products would push consumers back to the black market.

Brooklin Hill, the association's president, did not refute the Parsons administration's data in a statement, but cited a recent report from the Missouri Poison Center, the state's main poison control center, that showed that “adverse events related to excessive use of cannabis products are not among the top 10 reasons for calls to poison control centers,” she said.

“Instead, substances such as ibuprofen, household cleaners and antidepressants are responsible for a significantly higher volume of calls and pose greater risks than cannabis products,” Hill said.

Still, Hill said her association supports “strict regulation of hemp products to ensure they remain out of reach of children.”

“While we cannot control when parents leave these products in places in their homes where children can reach them, we recognize the importance of raising public awareness of the potential risks associated with children having access to such items,” she said.

Ashcroft's office said Tuesday that he opposed the latest ruling because Parsons' administration failed to provide justification for the ruling as required by state law.

“The requirements for such an appointment are set out in law and I have a responsibility and duty to comply with the law,” Ashcroft said in a statement.

Because of his opposition, the bill rejected by Ashcroft will now go through the normal legislative process, which includes an opportunity for citizens to provide public comments, his office said.

Parson's executive order, issued on August 1, prohibits the sale of “psychoactive cannabis products” — including food and beverages — in Missouri unless they come from approved sources. The DHSS was also directed to prohibit retail stores with liquor licenses from selling these products.

The ban does not apply to products sold by government-regulated legal dispensaries.