The worrying rise in 'stoner dogs': A brief guide

In states where marijuana is legal, vets are seeing a staggering rise in dogs getting sick from pot

Stoner dogs
(Image credit: ThinkStock/iStockphoto)

Medical marijuana has been legal in Colorado for 12 years, and many people believe that using the drug for medicinal purposes can be beneficial. But according to a new study, one unintended side effect of legalized pot is a spike in the number of pets who get sick after accidentally ingesting the drug. The study, conducted by Dr. Stacy Meola of the Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, concluded that cases of marijuana poisoning in animals quadrupled in Colorado over the past five years, and vets say treating high dogs has become an increasingly common occurrence. Doping up your dog is no laughing matter — marijuana can cause your pet to get very sick or, in severe cases, die. Here's why you should keep pot away from your pooch:

What exactly does pot do to dogs?

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Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.