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

描述(由申请人提供)：这项研究是对NIDA的PA-08-124资助机会公告的回应，该公告呼吁研究法律、法规和政策对药物使用流行病学的影响。我们提出了一项系列横断面研究，以确定医用大麻法律对青少年和年轻人与毒品相关的态度、消费和问题的影响。我们将把美国九年的全国调查数据与收集的关于州法律通过和特点的原始数据结合起来。自1996年以来，已有17个州通过法律，将用于医疗目的的大麻合法化。另有六个州目前正在酝酿中。医用大麻旨在帮助患者应对伴随严重疾病而来的慢性疼痛和食欲不振。然而，这可能会给年轻人带来意想不到的后果。这样的政策可能会在不经意间向年轻人发出关于吸毒风险的错误信息。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机会，压低大麻价格。我们提出了一项为期九年的州一级前瞻性调查，研究州MM法律的通过与青少年(12-17岁)和年轻人(18-25岁)与毒品相关结果之间的关系。我们将使用计量经济学方法比较居住在有医用大麻法律的州的年轻人的毒品态度和行为的变化，并以非医用大麻州为对照组。我们将利用2002-10年间全国药物使用与健康调查(NSDUH)的九次年度浪潮，以及关于州医用大麻法律的原始数据收集。提议的具体目标是：具体目标1.确定州MM法律的通过是否与改变青少年和年轻人对大麻的风险、社会接受度和可获得性的看法有关。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以及对大麻的经济替代品/赞誉的使用有关，如酒精和烟草。具体目标3.研究MM法律在特征和实施方面的跨州差异是否与年轻人的毒品相关态度和行为有关。 公共卫生相关性：这项研究将产生与政策相关的知识，了解医用大麻政策可能对青少年和年轻人产生意想不到的后果。年轻人构成弱势群体，因为他们仍在形成对物质使用的终生看法，而且第一次使用的年龄较早，使人们在以后的生活中患上物质使用障碍的风险更高。研究结果将为当前 州政策制定者在权衡医用大麻法律对不同人口群体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.