Confusing messages being presented by popular culture, media, proponents of “medical” marijuana, and political campaigns to legalize all marijuana use, perpetuate the FALSE notion that marijuana is harmless.
Marijuana and other illicit drugs are addictive and unsafe – especially for use by young people. Marijuana contains chemicals that change how the brain works. The science, though still evolving in terms of long-term consequences of marijuana use, is clear:
MARIJUANA USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH:
▪ ADDICTION
▪ RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
▪ MENTAL ILLNESS
▪ POOR MOTOR PERFORMANCE
▪ COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND OTHER NEGATIVE EFFECTS WITH MEMORY AND LEARNING
Across the country, marijuana use is on the rise. Despite some viewpoints that marijuana is harmless, these figures present a sobering picture of very real consequences and harm:
- Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. In 2016, 24 million Americans, age 12 and older, reported using the drug within the past month (SAMHSA).
- Among youth, heavy cannabis use is associated with cognitive problems and increased risk of mental illness (SAMHSA).
- Over the past two decades, hospital treatment admissions for marijuana have increased significantly, which coincides with the sharp rise in potency of marijuana (ONDCP).
Find out more at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/key-issues/marijuana/