This article was originally published on NisonCo and appears here with permission.
Mainstream dialogue around teenagers and cannabis is callous at best. Drug reform critics often leverage teenage drug consumption to justify prohibition and the War on Drugs to push back against any progressive drug reform policies. Lawmakers — who are otherwise concerned with social equity — often succumb to anti-plant critical pressure and water down cannabis reform legislation. Even well-intentioned cannabis communications professionals and other industry peers can fall into this trap with delusions of cannabis exceptionalism grandeur.
There are some major concerns in the cannabis legal landscape regarding teenage cannabis consumption. For one, Black and Brown teenagers are most likely to be arrested for cannabis-related charges in states with recreational adult-use legalization enacted, proving the drug war’s school-to-prison pipeline still is alive in communities of color. Another consideration regarding teen cannabis use: many children with chronic and/or terminal illnesses need to utilize medical marijuana to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. While concerns rage about teen cannabis use, a 2020 study concludes that adult-use recreational cannabis measures don’t impact teen cannabis consumption. In fact, teen consumption even declines once cannabis is legal for adult consumption. We also know that teen cannabis consumption is…
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This article was originally published on NisonCo and appears here with permission.
Mainstream dialogue around teenagers and cannabis is callous at best. Drug reform critics often leverage teenage drug consumption to justify prohibition and the War on Drugs to push back against any progressive drug reform policies. Lawmakers — who are otherwise concerned with social equity — often succumb to anti-plant critical pressure and water down cannabis reform legislation. Even well-intentioned cannabis communications professionals and other industry peers can fall into this trap with delusions of cannabis exceptionalism grandeur.
There are some major concerns in the cannabis legal landscape regarding teenage cannabis consumption. For one, Black and Brown teenagers are most likely to be arrested for cannabis-related charges in states with recreational adult-use legalization enacted, proving the drug war’s school-to-prison pipeline still is alive in communities of color. Another consideration regarding teen cannabis use: many children with chronic and/or terminal illnesses need to utilize medical marijuana to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. While concerns rage about teen cannabis use, a 2020 study concludes that adult-use recreational cannabis measures don’t impact teen cannabis consumption. In fact, teen consumption even declines once cannabis is legal for adult consumption. We also know that teen cannabis consumption is…
