No matter how you voted on Amendment 64, regarding recreational use of marijuana, virtually everyone agrees that it should not be available to youth under 21 years of age. I concur completely. Marijuana is extremely harmful to the developing brain and can create major issues for teens using the substance.
The human brain is not fully developed until approximately 25 years of age; thus, adolescents are in the midst of major brain growth which leaves them especially vulnerable to problems caused by drug use/abuse. Studies have proven that marijuana is addictive and that 1 in 6 people who try it before the age of 18 develop a clinical diagnosis of marijuana abuse or dependence. Marijuana negatively affects the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention and reaction time.
Studies also show that marijuana use is a risk factor for poor school performance and dropout, risky sexual behavior resulting in disease transmissions and/or teen pregnancy, aggression, anxiety, accidents causing death, and psychosis. Colorado schools are reporting alarming growth in drug-related problems. In the 2009-10 school year, Colorado schools recorded 5,048 disciplinary reports for drug offenses which was an increase of 33.5 percent over the previous school year. In that same time frame, school expulsions for drug offenses were up 40 percent and out-of-school suspensions were up 32.5 percent. Studies have also shown that marijuana use reduces IQ by as much as eight points by age 38 among people who started before 18.
Today's marijuana is more addictive than ever before. For years, the level of THC, marijuana's active ingredient, averaged 2.3 percent. Today's marijuana averages THC levels of over 8 percent, and often reaches as high as 35 percent THC in medical grade marijuana. Abuse of marijuana accounts for 67 percent of admissions to adolescent substance abuse treatment centers in the US, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
As the Executive Director of Alternatives for Youth, we have seen an increase in marijuana use and abuse among adolescents throughout Boulder County over the last several years. We operate iTHRIVE, which is an early intervention program for teens 12-17 that have started using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Marijuana is by far the substance of choice that we see among our participants; it's cheap, it's more accessible than ever and the perception of the risk has decreased.
I strongly encourage the City of Boulder to reconsider allowing retail stores to sell marijuana. However, if the city proceeds down this path I hope that they will understand the critical importance of the issue and set aside a significant portion of any tax income to support a comprehensive plan of prevention and intervention for youth using/abusing marijuana.
Deb Roberts is the Executive Director of Alternatives for Youth/iTHRIVE, thrivingteens.org.