Editor's Note: Any and all research examining potential ill effects of marijuana are likely welcomed by opponents to marijuana legalization as well as supporters of it. The issue seems to be that many of the ill effects that are often cited are based on use by adolescents. And according to this article by U.S. News & World Report, keeping marijuana illegal isn't a prerequisite to keeping our nation's youth safe from these effects: "Despite repeated efforts to impose criminal penalties on the use and sale of marijuana, regular cannabis use among adolescents and young adults is now almost as common as tobacco use." Will legalization increase adolescent marijuana usage, even with an age limit on legal purchases? With usage already this high, it just doesn't seem likely.
As decriminalization efforts take off, scientists aim to understand marijuana's adverse health effects.
As more states consider decriminalizing marijuana, the scientific and public health communities are beginning to catch up with answers to some of the tough research questions about broad usage of the drug in the general population.
Is marijuana use addictive or habit-forming? Does it impair your ability to drive a car? Is it a gateway to the use of other illegal drugs? Does regular use increase the risk of cognitive impairment in adolescents?
