Legal Marijuana and Adolescent Substance Abuse: Is There a Link?

A new set of data shows that even if marijuana is legal in several US states, teenagers do not have better access to the drug. These data add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that legal marijuana is unrelated to teenage drug abuse.

Marijuana use among adolescents and young adults is a serious problem that has been correlated with a higher likelihood of developing addiction to the drug and developing mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

RELATED: Are Teenage Brains More Prone to Marijuana Addiction?

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The data comes from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) and was submitted by high school students between 2009 and 2019. The analysis showed that the percentage of students who have used cannabis in the past 30 years has not changed or increased significantly in days.

RELATED: Another Survey Shows Adolescent Marijuana Consumption Decreases After Legalization

According to the data, the year teens reported the highest percentage of marijuana use was 2011, before legal marijuana programs were approved in the US

Opponents of legal marijuana programs have historically used teenage marijuana use and its side effects to scare people who may be considering sponsoring legal marijuana. They believe legal marijuana could make drugs easier for teens at a time when their brains are developing, making them more vulnerable to the drug.

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Marijuana advocates believe the opposite; With a legal marijuana program, it should theoretically be more difficult for minors to get hold of the drug. Legal programs require ID and track the customers who purchase these products, creating more barriers and hurdles than black market marijuana.

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Teenage marijuana use should remain a concern for everyone, regardless of their stance on legal marijuana. Studies that show no links between legal cannabis programs and marijuana use by young people should be encouraging news to proponents and those who are suspicious of cannabis. These programs make cannabis more difficult to access and result in higher quality products.