Cannabis Risk and Youth

Cannabis/Marijuana and Health
ERC breaks down risks to youth in the papers Heavy Adolescent Marijuana Use and IQ Impact, Controversial Risks and Values of Marijuana Use and the National Institute of Drug Abuse Pacesetter Award winning book Marijuana and the Responsible Parent.

Parents typically offer trusted advice to their children on key aspects of life. From driving a car to coming to terms with the death of a pet, the parent/guardian is the one who is trusted. Connecting with children on the risks and realities of marijuana use is of clear value.

Bruce Bomier, MPH, Board Chair
Environmental Resource Council

The updated 14th edition of Cannabis and the Responsible Parent is now available for free download.

A history of adult legalization, Out of the Shadows and a summary of risk, Cannabis and Health may also be freely downloaded. See more details below.

Books

New edition
Cannabis and the Responsible Parent supports the best asset young people have — caring parents — by describing cannabis and risks and effectively communicating those risks. Now, as legalization of both therapeutic and recreational use for adults becomes a reality, the situation changes… but not the fundamental protective relationship between parents and their children.

Read "Cannabis and the Responsible Parent" (PDF)

Out of the Shadows profiles the criminal to legal transition of cannabis control. It briefly describes the health aspects of cannabis, its regulatory history, the challenges, and advantages of local government cannabis control.

Read "Out of the Shadows" (PDF)

Cannabis and Health lists the issues of risk, and also describes issues that are considered to be of risk, but aren't. The document helps to understand the dynamics of cannabis and health.

Read Cannabis & Health (PDF)

Papers

The Effects of Cannabis

by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine

8.5x11 (PDF)

In 2017, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine completed a comprehensive review of over 10,000 academic, journal published, marijuana health research studies.

Dr. Marie McCormick, Chair of the review and Professor of Pediatrics at the Harvard School of Medicine, released the following key findings* subsequent to formal approval of each of the National Academies.

Controversial Risks and Values of Marijuana Use

Many American adults use marijuana. Presumably, if there were serious health consequences resulting from widespread use, we would have identified epidemiological evidence of harm. Yet, we also live in a world of poorly understood disease and risk, and there may exist undetected harm as a consequence of marijuana use.

We have confidence in the landmark 2017 meta-research by the Academies of Engineering, Science, and Medicine. However, we believe it also makes sense to describe contemporary marijuana use issues regarding both potential risks and values.

Anyone, particularly young persons, searching for internet guidance on marijuana use will likely encounter the following comments on risk and benefit. Often these perspectives are described as absolutes based on the limited research, but given the level of interest and concern, we felt an obligation to comment.

In the pdf are 10 often expressed areas of risk concern and 10 often mentioned quality of life and health promotion values sometimes attributed to marijuana use. In discussing values, we felt it necessary to provide journal citations when practical.