Testing Medical Marijuana's Unintended Consequences for Youth and Young Adults

本研究响应NIDA的PA-08-124资助机会公告，呼吁研究法律，法规和政策对药物使用流行病学的影响。我们提出了一个系列的横断面研究，以确定医用大麻法律对青少年和年轻人的毒品相关的态度，消费和问题的影响。我们将结合联合收割机九年的美国全国调查数据和原始数据收集的通过和特点的国家法律。 自1996年以来，已有17个州通过了将大麻用于医疗目的合法化的法律。目前，还有6个国家正在审议中。医用大麻旨在帮助患者科普伴随严重疾病的慢性疼痛和食欲不振。然而，它可能会对年轻人产生意想不到的后果。这些政策可能会无意中向年轻人发出关于使用毒品的风险的“错误信息”。如果监管和执行不力，医用大麻法律可能会增加非法大麻的获取并压低其价格。 我们提出了一个为期九年的，国家级的前瞻性调查之间的关系，通过国家MM法律和药物相关的结果之间的青年（12-17岁）和年轻的成年人（18-25岁）。我们将使用计量经济学方法来比较居住在有医用大麻法律的州的年轻人群体中与毒品相关的态度和行为的变化，使用非医用大麻州作为对照组。我们将利用2002年至2010年的九次全国药物使用和健康调查（NSDUH），并增加了州医用大麻法律的原始数据收集。建议的具体目标是：具体目标1。确定州MM法律的通过是否与青少年和年轻人对大麻的风险，社会可接受性和可用性的看法发生变化有关。 具体目标2。确定MM法律的通过是否与大麻使用率的变化和年轻人的问题有关，以及大麻的经济替代品/恭维的使用，如酒精和烟草。 具体目标3。检查是否在MM法律的特征和实施的变化与青年人的药物相关的态度和行为的状态。 公共卫生相关性：这项研究将产生与政策相关的知识，了解医用大麻政策对青少年和年轻人产生意外后果的潜力。青年人是一个脆弱群体，因为他们仍在形成对药物使用的终身看法，而且首次使用药物的年龄较早使人们在以后的生活中患药物使用障碍的风险较高。研究结果将告知当前 州政策制定者权衡医用大麻法律对不同人群的好处和成本的决策。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study responds to NIDA's PA-08-124 Funding Opportunity Announcement calling for research on the effects of laws, regulations and policies on the epidemiology of drug use. We propose a serial cross-sectional study to identify the impact of medical marijuana laws on drug-related attitudes, consumption and problems among adolescents and young adults. We will combine nine years of US national survey data with original data collection on the passage and characteristics of state laws. Since 1996, 17 states have passed laws that decriminalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes. Another six states are currently deliberating. Medical marijuana is intended to help patients cope with chronic pain and loss of appetite accompanying serious illness. It could, however, have unintended consequences for young people. Such policies could inadvertently "send the wrong message" to young people about the risks of using drugs. If poorly regulated and enforced, medical marijuana laws could increase access to illicit cannabis and drive down its price. We propose a nine-year, state-level prospective investigation of the relationships between passage of state MM laws and drug-related outcomes among youth (12-17 years of age) and young adults (18-25 years). We will use econometric methods to compare changes in drug-related attitudes and behaviors across populations of young people residing in states with medical marijuana laws, using non-medical marijuana states as a control group. We will draw on nine annual waves of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), from 2002-10, augmented with original data collection on state medical marijuana laws. Proposed specific aims are: Specific Aim 1. To identify whether passage of state MM laws is associated with changing perceptions about the risks, social acceptability and availability of marijuana in populations of adolescents and young adults. Specific Aim 2. To determine whether passage of MM laws is associated with changing rates of marijuana use and problems in young people, as well as the use of economic substitutes/compliments for cannabis, such as alcohol and tobacco. Specific Aim 3. To examine whether variation across states in the characteristics and implementation of MM laws is associated with drug-related attitudes and behaviors in young people. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research will generate policy-relevant knowledge about the potential for medical marijuana policies to have unintended consequences for adolescents and young adults. Young people constitute a vulnerable population because they are still shaping lifelong views on substance use, and because earlier age at first use puts people at higher risk for acquiring substance use disorders later in life. Study findings will inform current decision-making by state policymakers weighing the benefits and costs of medical marijuana laws for different population groups.