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Title
Rocky Mountain Low: The Downside of Legalized Marijuana
01/10/2018

“Every statistical study has seen an increase in marijuana use,” he said. “There has been an increase in youths going to rehab for addiction to marijuana. There have been increases in car accidents. There has been an increase in fatalities related to marijuana. There has been an increase in workplace incidences related to marijuana and a decrease in productivity. And there has been an increase in robberies.”
“There has been nothing good for Colorado, except for maybe the increased tax revenue. But even then, it is a mixed bag. Many people have moved to Colorado to exploit legalized marijuana — so housing prices have increased. There is more traffic downtown. You can find marijuana dispensaries all over the place, especially in the poorer parts of town. It is becoming part of the state’s subculture,” said Brugger.
The smell of marijuana is ubiquitous in the state now — so much so that there has been a marked increase in complaints to the police about the smell.
For those who own ski resorts, the emergence of marijuana smokers has been troubling, according to Brugger.


NCR, denver, usage, crime, homeless, car crashes, Colorado
Marijuana use rising across all age groups, survey finds
12/07/2016

In Ontario, for instance, a survey released Wednesday by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that past-year cannabis use virtually doubled between 1996 and 2015, rising from about eight per cent to almost 15 per cent of respondents.
Significant increases were found among all age groups, but especially among 18- to 29-year-olds, with the proportion of pot smokers jumping from about 18 per cent in 1996 to 38 per cent in 2015


Canada, usage, addiction
Heavy teen marijuana use may cut life short by 60
04/29/2016

Swedish researchers analyzed the records of more than 45,000 men beginning in 1969 and 1970. The scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm reported that 4,000 died during the 42-year follow-up period, and men who'd used marijuana heavily at ages 18 and 19 were 40 percent more likely to die by age 60 compared to guys who hadn't used the drug.


Teens, usage, Death
Pot Science: Top Marijuana Findings of 2015
12/29/2015

Although studies are beginning to show that some ingredients in marijuana are likely to be helpful for people with certain conditions, the findings have yet to nail down the specifics about the dose, the frequency, the best form to take (such as getting the active compounds from edible products or smoking it), the risks from frequent use, and whether marijuana works as well as or better than other available treatments, Budney said.
Usage Doubles & Addiction Doubles:  Over this 12-year period, the estimated number of U.S. adults who had used marijuana in the previous 12 months grew from 4.1 percent in 2001 to 9.5 percent in 2013. Marijuana-use disorders, which include problems with drug addiction and dependence, also rose, increasing from 1.5 percent of the adult population in 2001 to 2.9 percent in 2013, the study showed.
 
 College students smoke more pot than cigarettes: The survey found that 5.9 percent of college students said they had smoked pot 20 or more times in the past month. For comparison, 5.2 percent of students reported they had smoked cigarettes 20 or more times in the past month, according to the study. 
Inaccurate Labeling Edibles: Only 13 of the 75 tested pot food products — such as baked goods, beverages and candy — bought from dispensaries in California and Washington state had labels that accurately listed the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, 
Teen Brain:  The researchers found that teens who had smoked marijuana — even once — had smaller brain volume in the amygdala compared with teens who never tried pot.
 


Research, usage, college, Resource Paper, edibles, Teens
We’re Manufacturing Addicts: Marijuana Use Doubles Among US Adults
12/18/2015

The evidence of harm, however, is only getting clearing. And the latest rise in use, addiction and death by car crash numbers add clarity to the picture of harms associated with widespread use of the drug.


legalization, usage
“Legalized marijuana certainly no panacea ”
09/27/2015

The impact of those changes can be seen not just in marijuana sales, but also in lives lost and harmed. In 2014, the report notes, there was a 32 percent increase in marijuana-related traffic deaths in Colorado compared with 2013. Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 92 percent from 2010 to 2014.
In contrast, the increase in all traffic deaths during that time period was just 8 percent. Had it not been for marijuana-related traffic deaths, the state would have experienced adecline in traffic fatalities.
There's reason to think this problem won't go away soon. According to the report, an estimated 485,000 Colorado adults regularly use marijuana. Adults who consume marijuana almost daily make up the top 21.8 percent of that population — but they account for 66.9 percent of the demand for marijuana.


Colorado, Fatalities, car crashes, usage
Marijuana use doubles
09/14/2015
usage, perception, Infographics
HHS finds marijuana use up 12%, perception of harm down
09/12/2015

This week, the Department of Health and Human Services found that marijuana use among all Americans 12 and over – especially those over 26 – significantly increased in 2014 compared to 2013. The number of 16 and 17 year-olds using marijuana in the past month also increased, (14.2% versus 15.0%).


youth, perception, usage
Medical marijuana laws and adolescent marijuana use in the USA from 1991 to 2014: results from annual, repeated cross-sectional surveys
07/11/2015

Our findings, consistent with previous evidence, suggest that passage of state medical marijuana laws does not increase adolescent use of marijuana. However, overall, adolescent use is higher in states that ever passed such a law than in other states. State-level risk factors other than medical marijuana laws could contribute to both marijuana use and the passage of medical marijuana laws, and such factors warrant investigation.


Lancet, usage, youth, journal, Studies
Adolescents Who View Medical Marijuana Advertising Are More Likely to Use the Drug
07/06/2015

Seeing advertisements for medical marijuana was related to middle school adolescents' intentions to use marijuana and their actual marijuana use one year later. Researchers say this is particularly important given that the mean age of adolescents surveyed was 13 and initiation of marijuana use during early adolescence is associated with poor school performance, neuropsychological performance deficits and further use of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.


youth, advertising, usage
Marijuana Use in Colorado
06/16/2015

"Marijuana legalization and commercialization is a failed policy and this new report details the impact on many of our populations already impacted by alcohol and tobacco use," said Bob Doyle, Chair of Colorado SAM and a public health professional with more than 20 years of experience in tobacco prevention.
Highlights of the survey included:

  • 1 in 3 users are daily users
  • Black adults in Colorado are using at almost 50% higher than the state average for adults; Hispanics have the lowest use rates
  • Low income Colorado adults are using at higher rates than the state average
  • Almost a third of 18-24 year olds are using marijuana
  • Almost a third of gay and lesbian adults are using marijuana - more than twice the state average for adults
  • Almost 1 in five reported driving after using marijuana

"The marijuana industry is getting rich while our communities, healthcare system, employers, and families pay the costs," Doyle added.


Colorado-0, usage
2012-2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health National Maps of Prevalence Estimates, by State
02/26/2015
Survey, Studies, youth, increase, usage
Denver 8th Graders Use 350% Higher than National Average
01/22/2015

Where do the students get their marijuana? 38% reported they got from a friend who obtains it legally, 23% reported from their parents, 22% from the black market, 9% from medical marijuana dispensaries, 4% from medical marijuana cardholders, 3% from retail marijuana stores.


youth, Colorado-0, denver, usage, increase
National Survey on Drug Use and Health Comparison of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013
01/18/2015

Shows that Colorado 12 to 17 age group, 18 to 25, 26+ are significantly higher than US average for past 30 day marijuana use and all showed increased rates between 2011-12 and 2012-13


Survey, SAMHSA, usage
American Academy of Pediatrics Reaffirms Opposition to Legalizing Marijuana for Recreational or Medical Use
01/15/2015
  • ·        “Making it more available to adults – even if restrictions are in place – will increase the access for teens. Just the campaigns to legalize marijuana can have the effect of persuading adolescents that marijuana is not dangerous, which can have a devastating impact on their lifelong health and development.”
  • ·        For adolescents, marijuana can impair memory and concentration, interfering with learning, and is linked to lower odds of completing high school or obtaining a college degree. It can alter motor control, coordination and judgment, which may contribute to unintentional deaths and injuries. Regular use is also linked to psychological problems, poorer lung health, and a higher likelihood of drug dependence in adulthood. 

youth, AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, usage
Colorado estimates state annual pot consumption at 130 metric tons
01/04/2015
Colorado, Colorado-0, usage
2014 Marijuana Use In Colorado
01/01/2015
  • 1 in 3 users are daily users
  • Black adults in Colorado are using at almost 50% higher than the state average for adults; Hispanics have the lowest use rates
  • Low income Colorado adults are using at higher rates than the state average
  • Almost a third of 18-24 year olds are using marijuana
  • Almost a third of gay and lesbian adults are using marijuana - more than twice the state average for adults
  • Almost 1 in five reported driving after using marijuana

Colorado, usage, youth, Impairment
Marijuana use rises in states with legalization
12/27/2014
usage, youth, increase
Where Americans Smoke and Grow Marijuana (Maps)
11/05/2014
map, usage
Portugal decriminalised drugs. Results? Use by teens doubled in a decade with nearly a fifth of 15 and 16-year-olds using drugs
10/31/2014
Portugal, Teens, youth, usage, Studies
Prosecutors urge others to oppose marijuana
10/30/2014
Arizona, youth, usage
Young adult sequelae of adolescent cannabis use: an integrative analysis
09/30/2014
Studies, young adults, usage
Where Americans smoke marijuana the most
08/05/2014
youth, usage, map
Heavy, Frequent Cannabis Use Linked to Mental Illness
04/03/2014

A new study suggests people with mental illness are more than seven times as likely to use marijuana weekly than people without a mental illness.

In total, 4.4 percent of individuals with a mental illness in the past 12 months reported using cannabis weekly, compared to 0.6 percent among individuals without any mental illness.

Cannabis use disorders occurred among 4 percent of those with mental illness versus 0.4 per cent among those without.

Researchers also noted that, although cannabis use is generally higher among younger people, the association between mental illness and cannabis use was pervasive across most age groups.


Research, addiction, mental health, usage
Decriminalization would increase the use and the economic and social costs of drugs.
02/01/2010

In fact, the benefits of keeping marijuana and other illicit drugs illegal clearly outweigh the negative and predictable consequences of legitimizing these substances.
Our position is simple and evidence-based: both decriminalization and legalization of illicit drugs would increase their use, along with their associated health and social costs. Unless advocates of decriminalization or of outright legalization can establish that more drug use is a net good for society, both arguments are self-refuting.
Higher prices help hold down rates of usage.


legalization, usage, social costs, alcohol
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