Since Michigan legalized marijuana more than five years ago, cannabis has become pretty visible in everyday life. 

Dispensaries are everywhere, you can get marijuana in the form of candy and baked goods, and the industry is generating billions of dollars every year. But there’s also growing concern about how that normalization is affecting kids.

 A record number of Michigan kids were hospitalized last year for cannabis, according to the state’s poison control center. In the last five years, they received about 1,500 reports of kids under the age of six being exposed to or ingesting CBD, THC, or other cannabis products. 

We’re talking with Michigan Public reporters Kate Wells and Adam Yahya Rayes. They’ve been digging into what the numbers tell us, talking to parents, doctors, and people in the cannabis industry about why this is happening.

Since Michigan legalized marijuana more than five years ago, cannabis has become pretty visible in everyday life.&nbsp;
Dispensaries are everywhere, you can get marijuana in the form of candy and baked goods, and the industry is generating billions of dollars every year.&nbsp;But there&rsquo;s also growing concern about how that normalization is affecting kids.
&nbsp;A record number of Michigan kids <a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/2025-04-09/record-number-of-mi-kids-reported-hospitalized-from-cannabis-in-2024">were hospitalized last year</a> for cannabis, according to the state&rsquo;s poison control center. In the last five years, they received about 1,500 reports of kids under the age of six being exposed to or ingesting CBD, THC, or other cannabis products.&nbsp;
We&rsquo;re talking with Michigan Public reporters Kate Wells and Adam Yahya Rayes. They&rsquo;ve been digging into what the numbers tell us, talking to parents, doctors, and people in the cannabis industry about why this is happening.

Ever wondered why we call ourselves “Michiganders”? Or why we say “pop” instead of “soda”? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That’s why we’re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.

To share a story or submit your questions, head to michiganpublic.org/onhand

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

Ever wondered why we call ourselves &ldquo;Michiganders&rdquo;? Or why we say &ldquo;pop&rdquo; instead of &ldquo;soda&rdquo;? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.
To share a story or submit your questions, head to <a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand">michiganpublic.org/onhand</a>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider <a href="https://michiganpublic.org/podfund">supporting our work</a>: michiganpublic.org/podfund