pot use among teens, medical marijuana
A new study performed by Dr. Esther Choo, who is associated with the Rhode Island Hospital emergency department as an attending physician, has provided some surprising results. States which have legalized medical marijuana have been cautious because many medical professionals and legislators were worried that approving medical marijuana could increase pot use among teens. The new study results show that this is not the case, and pot use among teens in states which have passed medical marijuana laws has not increased significantly. According to Dr. Choo “Any time a state considers legalizing medical marijuana, there are concerns from the public about an increase in drug use among teens.” Choo went on to state that “Researchers should continue to monitor and measure marijuana use. But we hope that this information will provide some level of reassurance to policymakers, physicians, and parents about medical marijuana laws.”
The study examined 20 years of data concerning pot use among teens, and this data covered states without medical marijuana laws and those which have passed medical marijuana in some form. The pot use among teens for each state was examined, and this included the data both before and after any medical marijuana laws were passed. Teen pot use did not go up after a state passed medical marijuana laws, and in some cases the pot use among teens actually saw a slight decline. Many teens are rebellious by nature, and legalizing medical marijuana may take some stigma away from the use of this drug and make it less appealing for teens who are trying to push the boundaries or rebel.
