Marijuana And Adolescents: A Case Study

From a public health perspective implications of legal adult use of marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational purposes on adolescent prevention efforts include higher marijuana use and decrease perception of risk associated with use. According to the article“…marijuana is legalized, there is an increase in marijuana use and marijuana-related problem behaviors… (Hopfer C, 2014).” Although the findings are still in their initial stage. In the past five or more years medical marijuana use has become more relevant and dispensaries are part of the norm. I remember when living in San Diego and there being numerous dispensaries and within the year a law being passed banning such businesses. There was an occasion in which I visited Venice beach and people stood on the boardwalk with signs to get your …show more content…
By legalizing marijuana many adolescents may feel it is safe because it is no longer illegal. The major concern the population should have with the examples stated above is not just the experimentation with marijuana but as we have discussed in class it be considered a “gateway drug.” Marijuana use can lead to experimentation with other substances and long term drug addiction. “A substantial concern about legalization of adult marijuana use is that it will result in an increase in adolescent use, a group that appears to be most vulnerable to its harmful effects (Hopfer C., 2014).” During adolescents the brain is undergoing critical stages of development which can account for adolescent moodiness, sleepiness, and risk taking behaviors. It is due to these attitudes and behaviors that an adolescent may be more prone to trying a drug like marijuana. This makes the use of marijuana for adolescent’s all that more serious for the long term effects it can have on brain development, or an accident that occurs due to being under its