This Bud’s (Not) for You: Marijuana Toxicity in Pets

A dog with a silly smilePot, weed, Mary Jane…no matter what you call it, marijuana needs no introduction, especially to Colorado residents. Medical marijuana became legal in Colorado in 2000, and in November of 2012, voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to legalize marijuana for recreational use. In January of 2014, the approved amendment became law.

Since marijuana use was first legalized, veterinarians across Colorado have seen a dramatic increase in cases of marijuana toxicity in pets. In fact, a Colorado-based study published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care showed that the number of pets treated for marijuana poisoning quadrupled between 2005-2010. After the 2014 implementation of the recreational use law, our own veterinarians saw an uptick in the number of marijuana toxicity cases they were treating at our facility.

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