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New Data Reveals No Link Between Increased Cannabis Use In Teens And Legal Markets

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A new study says there is no evidence of a correlation between states that have legal adult-use cannabis markets and a surge in teen cannabis use. Researchers suggest that limited accessibility caused by strict regulations may be the reason; however, the finding does not take into account the thriving black markets in states that have highly restrictive laws regarding the sale of marijuana.

The finding comes from data that was compiled by a team of investigators affiliated with Boston College, who examined more than one million high-school students over a period spanning from 1999 to 2017. (In 2012, Colorado and Washington were the first states in the U.S. to legalize adult-use cannabis). Published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the data showed that not only was there no evidence linking a rise in marijuana use among adolescents in states with legal recreational marijuana, but "the frequency of use declined by 16 percent after [recreational marijuana legalization].”

Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently that the number of young people admitted to drug treatment programs for "marijuana-related issues" had dropped sharply in states that have legalized and regulated its adult-use.

Expounding on the idea that legalization of medical marijuana does not encourage marijuana use among young people, a 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics postulated that it "may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes." The reason may have more to do with limited accessibility after regulation hits versus a change in attitude toward marijuana. Simply put, teens might have a more difficult time obtaining marijuana "as drug dealers are replaced by licensed dispensaries that require proof of age.”

Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML,  a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit focused on marijuana legalization, hailed the finding for dispelling "sensational" claims made by legalization foes that allege legal markets lead to a marked increase in use among youth. In a public statement, he commented that the data "add to the growing body of scientific literature showing that legalization policies can be implemented in a manner that provides access for adults while simultaneously limiting youth access and misuse."

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