Teens’ Access to Marijuana Not Increased After Legalization

Washington state’s 2012 legalization of marijuana for recreational use did not increase adolescents’ access to the drug, according to a study presented May 1 at the annual meeting of Pediatric Academic Societies.

Marijuana, which has been researched as a potential treatment for several symptoms and diseases, is still classified on the United States Drug Enforcement Agency’s list of Schedule I narcotics. This classification indicates the drug has no approved medical use and a high potential for addiction. Some advocates have pushed for a change in the drug’s classification. The District of Columbia and 24 states have passed laws allowing some medical uses for marijuana. Four states—Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Alaska—as well as the District of Columbia have decriminalized marijuana for recreational purposes.

Does Marijuana Legalization Increase Teen Access to Drugs?

For the study, researchers analyzed the number of teens who said marijuana was “easy” to access in 2010, prior to the legalization of marijuana in Washington, to the number who said marijuana was accessible in 2014, after the drug’s legalization.

In 2010, 55% of teens said marijuana was easily accessible, compared to 54% in 2014. Although this suggests legalization did not increase access to marijuana, marijuana’s accessibility fell at a slower rate than some other drugs. Forty-seven percent of teens said alcohol was hard to access in 2014, marking a significant increase from the 43% who agreed with the statement in 2010. Fifty-three percent of teens said cigarettes were hard to access in 2014, compared to 42% in 2010.

The study’s authors suggest this points to an increased need for measures that minimize teen marijuana use.

Adolescent Marijuana Use Trends

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana use was stable nationwide in 2014. About 6% of 12^th graders reported daily using the drug, with 6.5% of 8^th graders, 16.6% of 10^th graders, and 21.2% of 12^th graders using the drug in the last month. About 35% of 12^th graders reported using marijuana in the past year.

References:

1. DrugFacts: High school and youth trends. (2014, December). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/high-school-youth-trends
2. Drug scheduling. (n.d.). Drug Enforcement Administration. Retrieved from http://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml
3. Legalization of marijuana in Washington had no effect on teens’ access to drug. (2016, April 30). Retrieved from http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/aaop-lom042216.php
4. State marijuana laws map. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html

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