Legalization of recreational marijuana and community sales policy in Oregon: Impact on adolescent willingness and intent to use, parent use, and adolescent use.

Abstract

Studies investigating the impact of medical marijuana legalization have found no significant changes in adolescent use. In one of the few studies focused on recreational marijuana, we investigated how recreational marijuana legalization and community sales policy influenced factors that likely impact youth use (youth willingness and intent to use, parent use) as well as youth use. Legalization of recreational marijuana in Oregon coincided with our study on adolescent substance use. Cohort 1 transitioned from 8th to 9th grade prior to legalization and Cohort 2 made this transition during legalization (N = 444; 53% female). Communities were allowed to opt out of sales. Multivariate linear regression models estimated the impact of legalization and community sales policy on changes in attitudes and parent use (2 time points 1 year apart). Zero-inflated Poisson growth curve models estimated the effects on initial levels and rate of change from 8th through 9th grade (4 time points). In communities opting out of sales, the prior-to-legalization cohort was less likely to increase their willingness and intent to use marijuana, and the legalization cohort was more likely to increase intent to use. For youth who used marijuana, legalization was associated with increased use, and those in communities opting out of sales had greater growth in marijuana use. Community policy appears to impact youth attitudes toward, and use of, marijuana. Results suggest that legalization of recreational marijuana did not increase marijuana use for youth who did not use marijuana but did increase use in youth who were already using. (PsycINFO Database Record

Positive and Negative Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids on Health

“…Some studies suggested that the prevalence of adolescence reporting cannabis consumption increased significantly in states that promoted decriminalization policy or legalized medical‐cannabis use . Yet, other authors have challenged this statement and they have suggested that the impact of cannabis legalization on youth consumption is unclear, in part because legalization has only recently been implemented in relatively few jurisdictions …”

“…[4][5][6][7] Yet, other authors have challenged this statement and they have suggested that the impact of cannabis legalization on youth consumption is unclear, in part because legalization has only recently been implemented in relatively few jurisdictions. 3,8,9 Moreover, the public attitudes toward cannabis is more positive in these states, in which adults perceive cannabis as relatively "safe" compared with other psychoactive agents. 2,5,7 It is, therefore, important to evaluate the safety of cannabis according to the scientific rather than the popular literature.…”

Guidelines for public health and safety metrics to evaluate the potential harms and benefits of cannabis regulation in Canada

“…Non‐medical cannabis legalisation: Slight but significant increases in past 30‐day use among grade 8 and 10 students in Washington, but not among Colorado students or grade 12 Washington students . Some evidence of increases in frequency of use from a sample of Oregon users in grade 8–9 . Mixed evidence of legalisation effect among college students—increased use detected in a Washington college sample , but only among binge drinkers in an Oregon college sample .…”

“…Non‐medical cannabis legalisation: No significant post‐legalisation changes in initiation rates detected among early high school students in Oregon .…”

“…An analysis of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students in Washington and Colorado against students from non‐legalised states demonstrates significant increases in previous 30‐day use among 8th and 10th grade students in Washington only (by 2.0% and 4.1%, respectively) . In Oregon, the frequency of use was estimated to increase after legalisation among students transitioning from 8th to 9th grade, relative to a pre‐legalisation cohort; however, legalisation was not observed to lead to an increase in the proportion of new cannabis initiates or prevalence of use in this age group . Studies among university students (many of whom would be the age of majority under Canadian law) estimate post‐legalisation increases in the prevalence and frequency of cannabis use among students in Washington , and only among binge drinking students in Oregon .…”