Last fall, local experts Drs. Leslie Walker and Kevin Haggerty developed a pamphlet for parents about preventing underage marijuana use.
This week, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released two updated booklets about marijuana for teens and their parents.
- Marijuana Facts for Teens discusses the health consequences of marijuana use in this age group, its effect on the developing brain, its addiction risk, and what we know about its potential as a medicine.
- Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know has tips for parents on how to tell if their child is using marijuana and how to talk about the issue with their teen.
Both NIDA publications provide information about
marijuana and its impact on adolescent health.
Missing from the parent booklet is information about marijuana
concentrates and vaporizing. Prevention WINS coalition members report that vaporizing marijuana products has become an increasingly popular way for teenagers who use marijuana to consume it.
Since Washingtonians
voted to create a legal commercial marketplace for marijuana, many people have
been asking questions about what it means for those under the age of 21. The Mercer Island Communities That Care
Coalition created this video which answers many common questions.
Key points:
- Marijuana laws did not change for adolescents. It is still illegal for anyone under 21 to use "recreational" marijuana. Minors can still obtain "medical" marijuana.
- It is illegal for minors to drive under the influence of any amount of marijuana.
- It is illegal for adults to supply minors with "recreational" marijuana.
Like laws regarding alcohol, WA marijuana laws will change over time. To keep abreast of marijuana policy, visit the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention's website.
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