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In states where marijuana is legal, for medicinal purposes, some law-enforcement officials have expressed concern about an increase in teenage drug use. When the U.S. Attorney for Colorado sent letters to marijuana dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of schools, asking them to relocate or close, he cited an increase in drug-related school disciplinary incidents and law-enforcement issues. School districts, he said, "have seen a dramatic increase in student abuse of marijuana, with resulting student suspensions and discipline."
And, purely anecdotally, I've heard from friends in Colorado who have teenage children that they're concerned about the prevalence of marijuana in the state. But a recent study casts doubt on the thesis that the legalization of medical marijuana increases recreational consumption among teenagers:
In order to examine the relationship between medical marijuana laws and youth consumption, we draw on data from the national and state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) for the years 1993 through 2009. These data cover a period when 13 states, including California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington, legalized medical, and allow us to estimate the effect of legalization on outcomes such as marijuana use in the past month, frequent marijuana use, and the use of other substances such as alcohol and cocaine.
Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the legalization of medical marijuana caused an increase in the use of marijuana and other substances among high school students. In fact, estimates from our preferred specifications are consistently negative and are never statistically distinguishable from zero.
Using other data sources, they find similar results, findings that are "consistent with research showing that marijuana use among adults is more sensitive to changes in policy than marijuana use among youths." One caveat is that policy has moved forward since the study was done, with a few more states legalizing medical marijuana; as mores change, so might teenage behavior. The total is now up to 16 states plus the District of Columbia.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: wsj.com
Author: Christopher Shea
Contact: Help & Information Center - WSJ.COM
Website: Does Medical Marijuana Increase Teen Pot Use? - Ideas Market - WSJ
And, purely anecdotally, I've heard from friends in Colorado who have teenage children that they're concerned about the prevalence of marijuana in the state. But a recent study casts doubt on the thesis that the legalization of medical marijuana increases recreational consumption among teenagers:
In order to examine the relationship between medical marijuana laws and youth consumption, we draw on data from the national and state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) for the years 1993 through 2009. These data cover a period when 13 states, including California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington, legalized medical, and allow us to estimate the effect of legalization on outcomes such as marijuana use in the past month, frequent marijuana use, and the use of other substances such as alcohol and cocaine.
Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the legalization of medical marijuana caused an increase in the use of marijuana and other substances among high school students. In fact, estimates from our preferred specifications are consistently negative and are never statistically distinguishable from zero.
Using other data sources, they find similar results, findings that are "consistent with research showing that marijuana use among adults is more sensitive to changes in policy than marijuana use among youths." One caveat is that policy has moved forward since the study was done, with a few more states legalizing medical marijuana; as mores change, so might teenage behavior. The total is now up to 16 states plus the District of Columbia.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: wsj.com
Author: Christopher Shea
Contact: Help & Information Center - WSJ.COM
Website: Does Medical Marijuana Increase Teen Pot Use? - Ideas Market - WSJ
