this commentary to the editorial of hajizadeh argues that the economic, social and health consequences of legalizing cannabis in canada will depend in large part on the exact stipulations (mainly from the federal government) and on the implementation, regulation and practice of the legalization act (on provincial and municipal levels). a strict regulatory framework is necessary to minimize the ...

Purpose of Review This article provides an overview of current federal, state, and relevant international “medical marijuana” policies. We also describe the impacts of “medical marijuana” policy on adolescents’ use of marijuana and other substances. Recent Findings Evidence on the medical benefits of marijuana in adolescents is limited in the context of risks for marijuana-related harm. The leg...

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence and frequency of medical marijuana diversion and use among adolescents in substance abuse treatment and to identify factors related to their medical marijuana use. METHOD This study calculated the prevalence and frequency of diverted medical marijuana use among adolescents (n = 164), ages 14-18 years (mean age = 16.09, SD = 1.12), in substance abuse treatmen...

Over the past several years, medical marijuana has received increased attention in the media, and marijuana use has increased across the United States. Studies suggest that as marijuana has become more accessible and adults have become more tolerant regarding marijuana use, adolescents perceive marijuana as more beneficial and are more likely to use if they are living in an environment that is ...

BACKGROUND Adolescent use of marijuana is associated with adverse later effects, so the identification of factors underlying adolescent use is of substantial public health importance. The relationship between US state laws that permit marijuana for medical purposes and adolescent marijuana use has been controversial. Such laws could convey a message about marijuana acceptability that increases ...

Marijuana is a currently illegal psychoactive drug that many physicians believe has substantial therapeutic uses. The medical literature contains a growing number of studies on cannabinoids as well as case studies and anecdotal reports suggesting therapeutic potential. Fifteen states have passed medical marijuana laws, but little is known about the growing population of patients who use marijua...

BACKGROUND Marijuana potency has risen dramatically over the past two decades. In the United States, it is unclear whether state medical marijuana policies have contributed to this increase. METHODS Employing a differences-in-differences model within a mediation framework, we analyzed data on n=39,157 marijuana samples seized by law enforcement in 51 U.S. jurisdictions between 1990 and 2010, ...

Canadian Network for Respiratory Care, Caledon, Ontario Correspondence: Ms Andrea White Markham, 16983 Highway 62, Eldorado, Ontario K0K 1Y0. Telephone 647-202-9803, e-mail [email protected] The current issue the Journal includes an article describing the use of vaporizers for medical marijuana. As respiratory therapists (RTs), we must be aware of the science behind the use of these devices an...