teenage marijuana use
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Do Not Increase Teen Use, Study Shows
The rise in teen marijuana use has been a popular discussion for several weeks. As expected, some will blame medical marijuana dispensaries for the increase even without any data to support these claims. As we have previously written, assessing a generation and a cultural shift is not as simple as blaming marijuana collectives.
New research indicates that teenage marijuana smoking does not rise in states with legalized medical cannabis. This also builds on the recent data that showed marijuana collectives did not impact the crime rate in the Sacramento area. Researchers analyzed data from the Youth Risky Behavior Survey which took into account information from the 13 legal medical marijuana programs from 1993-2009. Professors from Montana State University, the University of Oregon and the University of Colorado found no data that shows a rise in teen use in areas with marijuana dispensaries. One of the lead researchers, Professor Daniel I. Rees of the University of Colorado said “There is anecdotal evidence that medical marijuana is finding its way into the hands of teenagers, but there’s no statistical evidence that legalization increases the probability of use.”
Marijuana.net recently posted an article citing the recent data that shows a rise in teenage marijuana smokers as well as a reduction in younger tobacco smokers. We also made the point that this rise may be due to a combination of factors, including new age information sharing. Patient stories and scientific data regarding cannabis are instantly available to a generation raised during the information age. Marijuana propaganda simply cannot hold water in today’s society. Instead we should concentrate on having an open conversation with teens and accessing whether or not it is wise to continue our policy of non-regulation when it comes to cannabis. The culture has shifted and marijuana is here to stay. Continued efforts to deny this are starting to appear silly.
However, appearing silly rarely serves as a deterrent for government officials. This research serves as a rebuff to statements made by the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The office continues to assert that medical cannabis collectives are contributing to a rise in teenage marijuana use despite having evidence supporting the claim. The office may want to do some research as it is getting more difficult to mislead a population that is more informed than the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Teen Marijuana use on the Rise: Is America Finally Ready to Discuss Regulation?
Whether they realize it or not, the American minor is one of the staples of politics in the United States. Both sides of an out of touch political aisle hold up our children and claim to know how policies will or will not impact them. For the largest group of Americans who cannot vote, children have an awful lot to do with governing policy in the United States.
Marijuana advocates and patients are accustomed to this. The excuse of “what about the message this sends to children” has caused a tremendous amount of pain for patients who have witnessed their safe access be compromised as a result. Sick patients typically are not wearing trench coats and selling drugs on the street, rather, they are just seeking relief. Patients would say the message to children should be “we do not sit idle in this country and watch people suffer when we can easily help them.” Talking to your children about why people medicate is a far easier approach. Marijuana simply having legal status does not put it teen hands. Like alcohol, (with far worse addicting qualities yet receives less criticism), there are safety precautions to make sure minors/non patients are not purchasing it. Direct conversation is always the best antidote, but just as television executives have found, parents do not want to be the bad guys and have tried to enlist the help of policy makers to make their lives easier.
Reports on rising teenage marijuana use have been making the media rounds lately. According to an article by the Associated Press that was posted on CBS News, monthly marijuana use by teens rose from 19% in 2008 to 27% currently. The article cites a study conducted by the Partnership at Drugfree.org. Additional findings included a rise in teenagers who smoke 20 or more times per month. In 2008 this number was at 5%, but has almost doubled to 9% in 2012. Morgan Fox, a spokesman for Marijuana Policy Project responded to the findings by saying “If we remove marijuana from the criminal market and have the market run by responsible business people that have an incentive to check IDs and not sell to minors, then we might see those rates drop again.”
The facts obviously shows that legalized marijuana is not the core of the issue as even in states where marijuana is not legal, teens have been resourceful enough to find cannabis. Our attack on marijuana for close to a century has created a black market, The Mexican Cartel, dangerous synthetics, and gross misinformation. Ridiculous propaganda that was easily proven false by the last 50 years of youth has only made opponents seem silly and created an even larger generational gap. If a rise in teen cannabis smoking truly is a concern, then regulation is the only way to keep it out of the hands of minors.