Major Study Determines Legalization Has No Effect On Youth Marijuana Use

One major argument often heard by those who oppose legalization is that it puts youth at risk. However, an analysis recently published by the Journal of the American Medical Association has concluded that there is no change in youth marijuana use after states enact legalization.
The study analyzed federal Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 1993-2019 in 10 medical or adult-use states. Researchers ultimately concluded that legalizing marijuana "was not associated with current marijuana use or frequent marijuana use" and that "medical marijuana law (MML) adoption was associated with a 6% decrease in the odds of current marijuana use and a 7% decrease in the odds of frequent marijuana use." Regarding youth consumption, it found that youth use actually decreased in states where legalization has been in place for 2+ years.

While this may seem surprising, it actually isn't. Advocates have often remarked that regulated marijuana sales decrease youth access and illicit markets. It's only logical that when marijuana is legal, fewer black market sales are happening, and obviously, teens will not be able to purchase from legal marijuana businesses that are strict in checking IDs. This study ultimately proves that legalization decreases teen use and debunks the myth that ending prohibition will harm the community and its youth.

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