Changes in cannabis involvement in emergency department visits for anxiety disorders after cannabis legalization: a repeated cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: An increasing number of countries have or are considering legalizing cannabis. One concern is that legalization of cannabis will result in increased cannabis use and in turn a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders. We examined changes in emergency department (ED) visits for anxiety disorders with cannabis involvement in Ontario, over a period that involved medical and non-medical cannabis legalization. Methods: This repeated cross-sectional population-based study identified all ED visits for anxiety disorders from residents of Ontario, Canada aged