Marijuana: Know the Facts

MARIJUANA: KNOW THE FACTS

How do changes in marijuana policy impact the health and safety of our communities and our children?

What does the science say?
• Marijuana can be addictive. The earlier someone begins using marijuana, the higher their risk of addiction -- one in six users who start under age 18 become dependent; 25-50% of teen heavy users become addicted.
• Marijuana today is not the marijuana of the 1970s. Highly concentrated marijuana products available today range from 5 to 85% THC (the psychoactive part of marijuana). High potency marijuana, often in the form of candies, cookies, sodas, and hashish concentrates (e.g., budder, wax, honey oil, shatter), are more likely to be associated with addiction and the negative health consequences in young people seen in recent years.
• Marijuana use has long-term negative consequences for kids. According to studies by the National Academy of Sciences and other organizations, marijuana use by adolescents can impair brain development, reduce academic success, impact long-term career growth, and even lower IQ. Marijuana is associated with long-term health risks, including increased susceptibility to mental health issues (e.g., paranoia, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia) and heart attacks. 
• Marijuana use/dependency is associated with addiction to other drugs. In a prospective study, marijuana use was associated with a 6.2 times (620%) higher risk of developing any substance use disorder. The younger marijuana is used, the higher the rates of addiction to marijuana and to other drugs, including opioids. 

What do the experiences of other states tell us?
• Where marijuana is legal, young people are more likely to use it. Since becoming the first state to legalize, Colorado has also become the #1 state in the nation for teen marijuana use. Teen use jumped 20% in Colorado in the two years since legalization, even as that rate has declined nationally.
• Colorado saw a 29% increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits the year marijuana was legalized. High potency edible products have also been associated with negative consequences for adults who may fail to pay attention to serving sizes, leading to overexposure to marijuana.
• Colorado has seen an increase in traffic deaths caused by operators testing positive for marijuana. In 2014, when retail marijuana stores began operating, there was a 32% increase in traffic deaths caused by operators who tested positive for the presence of marijuana. 25-40% of OUIs in Colorado involved marijuana alone.
• Increase in accidental marijuana use by young children. According to data from the National Poison Data System, accidental exposure to marijuana among children under 6 years old has been on the rise. Marijuana infused products such as gummy bears, candy bars and “cannabis cola” are often indistinguishable from traditional products and attractive to children, placing them at significant risk of accidental use.