As Michigan considers marijuana, ("Michigan voters would OK legal pot, poll says," March 28), it is important to understand the impact on public health, especially the health of teens. The debate over legalization may be confusing and contributes to the perception that marijuana is harmless. Research shows otherwise. For example, one in six teens who start early will become addicted to marijuana, a statistic that rises to 25-50 percent with daily use. Legal-pot states are beginning to see the effect. Colorado, for example, now leads the nation in past-month marijuana use by young people. [continues 66 words]
A word of caution for readers of Dan Rodricks' column ("'Normalization' of marijuana doesn't necessarily mean wider use," Sept. 17). Continued vigilance in communicating and educating young people about the health effects of heavy marijuana use is critical. This is especially important since fewer adolescents now perceive marijuana as harmful. The University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future Study 2014 reports that just about one-third of high school seniors believe marijuana can be harmful to health, down from 52.4 percent. [continues 181 words]
