Marijuana has always been consumed for many different reasons, but now the drug – especially in its medicinal form – has officially gone mainstream. Thirteen states have legalized medical marijuana and some dispensaries have reported a 300 percent sales increase since Barack Obama was elected president. Yet as more marijuana clubs dot the landscape and pot transforms from taboo to acceptable, how will that affect young people? Will parents struggle to explain why pot is permissible in certain instances but not in others? Will kids do more drugs?
M.D., FACP
Medical excuse marijuana laws could directly increase use of marijuana by young people if the rules for acceptable diagnoses are lax and if there is no clear oversite of who makes marijuana recommendations and how he laws are applied. Numerous young people have been identified using marijuana dispensaries.
The overall atmosphere with the softening of marijuana laws does potentially risk young people seeing diminished risk in using marijuana. The states that have allowed marijuana have also generally seen broadening of the amounts of marijuana allowed, the definitions of caregivers, how marijuana is supplied, and even protections for dealers.
Most importantly, the medical excuse marijuana laws create an atmosphere of "medicine by popular vote" and a dangerous bypassing of consumer protection through the Food and Drug Administration
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