Here’s how legal weed is affecting young adults in Washington state

New data shows some of the benefits of legal marijuana. Data published in the Journal of Adolescent Health links legal cannabis sales to a decline in alcohol, cigarette and painkiller use among young adults.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, who found trends in substance use among people between the ages of 18 and 25 after marijuana was legalized in their state.

The researchers explained that the study showed an opposite effect to what many had predicted with the legalization of cannabis. “Contrary to concerns about spillover effects, the introduction of legalized, non-medical cannabis has coincided with a decline in alcohol and cigarette use and painkiller abuse,” they wrote.

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While they suggest that the association between legal marijuana and the weakening of other drug use habits should be explored, their findings “may indicate an increased importance of cannabis-specific prevention and treatment efforts.”

In any case, the study proves one of the main criticisms against legal cannabis: the “gateway drug” argument, according to which access to marijuana facilitates the use of other drugs.

“Real data from legalizing states refutes longstanding claims that cannabis is some kind of ‘gateway substance,'” said NORML Associate Director Paul Armentano. “In fact, in many cases, cannabis regulation is associated with reduced use of other substances, including many prescription drugs.”

Teenage and young adult use is one of the main concerns of legal marijuana, with leaders concerned about the drug’s effects on young brains. Existing evidence is conflicting and difficult to analyze, made even more complicated by marijuana’s illegality at the federal level.

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“Much of the literature on cannabis legalization is difficult to digest due to differences in state policies, the states included in each paper’s analysis, the time periods researchers examined, how use is defined, and other issues compare,” said Nicolas Schlienz, Ph.D., director of research at cannabis education platform Realm of Caring.

Studies on marijuana show how little we know about the drug and how it affects the population. More studies are needed to get an accurate picture of its impact on people and our communities, along with more freedom for researchers interested in asking the necessary questions.