Kids are not more likely to smoke pot in states where medical marijuana has been legalized, at least according to a new study reported in an Oct. 25, 2016, article from HealthDay.
The study was led by Dr. Silvia Martins, associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.
“There were only increases in marijuana use and in the perceived availability of marijuana use after the enactment of these laws among adults aged 26 and up,” Martins said.
The goal was to find out how marijuana use might have changed in 10 states with medical marijuana laws: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island.
Researchers used data from annual surveys conducted between 2004 and 2013. The data included more than 53,800 people who were 12 years of age or older.
“The laws seem to be working as expected with little unintended consequences for youth and young adults to date,” Martins said.