Can Legalizing Marijuana Drive Middle Schoolers Wild? New Research Raises Concerns

Surge in School Disciplinary Actions Tied to Substance Use Following Oregon's Marijuana Legalization

Increase in Schools’ Drug-Linked Disciplinary Actions Following Marijuana Legalization in Oregon

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By Cara Murez, HealthDay Reporter

Hey there, folks! It seems like there might be a pungent link brewing between middle schoolers misbehaving and the legalization of recreational weed. But don’t worry, this isn’t the plot of a new stoner comedy. It’s the findings of some serious research conducted in Oregon, where recreational marijuana became as legal as wearing socks and sandals in 2015.

What did those clever researchers discover, you ask? Well, they found that middle school students in Oregon received office discipline referrals for substance use offenses (not related to alcohol or tobacco) about 30% more often after marijuana legalization, compared to schools in other states over the same period. Talk about an unexpected side effect!

“This discovery could guide future prevention efforts,” said Gulcan Cil, from the Oregon Research Institute and the Center for Evidence-based Policy at Oregon Health & Science University. “It suggests a stronger association between marijuana legalization and use at school for early adolescents, who are at a critical developmental stage regarding possible negative neurobiological consequences from marijuana use.”

But wait, there’s more! These researchers compared the changes before and after legalization in both middle and high schools from 2012-2013 through 2018-2019. And guess what? They discovered that the increase in substance use instances only happened in schools located within a one-mile radius of a marijuana outlet. It’s like these kids can smell the weed a mile away!

Now, before you go into full-on panic mode, keep in mind that the study didn’t find any changes in offenses for high school students. So it seems like they’re keeping their cool, or maybe they’re just too busy with their algebra homework to even think about getting high. Whatever it is, they’re not the ones causing the ruckus this time.

Researchers have previously found that the presence and proximity of marijuana outlets is associated with higher rates of marijuana use among youth and an earlier age of initiation. So, maybe it’s time for schools near dispensaries to stick a giant “Just Say No” sign on their front door.

The study suggests that policymakers might want to consider investing in school-based prevention programs to help keep middle schoolers on the straight and narrow. “Personnel in schools with nearby recreational marijuana outlets may want to proactively monitor student marijuana use,” advises Cil. And at the state level, lawmakers and agency leaders could think about expanding those programs and enacting policies to limit dispensaries near schools. It’s like a new kind of hybrid recess monitor!

Look, we’re not trying to rain on anyone’s parade or make marijuana the villain. But researchers believe that policymakers need to understand the full impact of marijuana legalization, including its consequences on young minds, before they can create more effective policies. After all, marijuana use during adolescence has been linked to academic problems, mental health issues, and impaired driving. Nobody wants that, right?

So, let’s all take a moment to think about how we can create a world where kids can grow up healthy and drug-free. Sound good? Great!

More information:

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Check out what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has to say about marijuana and youth.

Source: Oregon Research Institute, news release, Oct. 18, 2023

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