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FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA
Use and Addiction
17.4 million Americans are regular marijuana users (up from 14.4 million in 2007)
Between 2007 and 2010, the percentage of Americans who use marijuana regularly increased
from 5.8% to 6.9%.
More than 4 million Americans (23% of users) meet the criteria for marijuana addiction.
The percentage of youth (aged 12 to 17) who use marijuana increased from 6.7% in 2007 to
7.4% in 2010.
The highest percentage of past-month marijuana users among youth occurs in states with medical marijuana laws –
Washington State ranks 15th nationally for the percentage of users and 44th nationally for youth who perceive that smoking marijuana is harmful.
Youth
9% of Washington State 8th graders, 20% of 10th graders and 26% of 12th graders report current marijuana use.
23% of Washington State students who do not use marijuana received mostly C’s, D’s and F’s on grade reports; 51% of those who use marijuana received mostly C’s, D’s and F’s.
26 % of Washington State students who do not use marijuana report symptoms of depression; 43% of those who use marijuana report symptoms of depression.
Youth who initiate marijuana use by age 13 usually do not go to college.
Marijuana use rates among youth 12 to 17 are higher in states with medical marijuana laws (8.6%) than in states without such laws (6.9%).
Marijuana dependence accounted for 62% of the youth admissions to Washington State treatment programs.
Health
Harvard University researchers report that the risk of heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.
The National Institute of Health found that a person who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as much tar and cancer-causing chemicals into their lungs as someone who smokes a pack of cigarettes every day.
Smoking marijuana weakens the immune system and raises the risk of lung infections.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that critical skills related to attention, memory and learning are significantly impaired among marijuana users, even after they had not used the drug for at least 24 hours.
Marijuana use has been linked with depression and suicidal thoughts in addition to schizophrenia; weekly (or more frequent) marijuana use doubles the risk of developing depression and triples the incidence of suicidal thoughts among youth.
Researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute have identified the potential for marijuana smoking during pregnancy to damage the fetal brain, exerting adverse effects on nerve cells that could potentially impose life-long cognitive and motor deficits.
Treatment
The number of persons living in Northwest HIDTA counties who received treatment for marijuana addiction increased 76% from 1999 to 2010 (6,309 to 10,966).
The number of persons living in Cowlitz, Kitsap and Spokane counties who received treatment for marijuana addiction increased over 100% from 1999 to 2010 (1,076 to 2,341).
The number of persons living in Clark County who received treatment for marijuana addiction increased over 250% from 1999 to 2010 (264 to 699).
The number of persons living in Benton County who received treatment for marijuana addiction increased over 300% from 1999 to 2010 (142 to 451).
The number of persons living in Franklin County who received treatment for marijuana addiction increased over 400% from 1999 to 2010 (63 to 228).
Impaired Driving
The number of Washington State drivers found to be impaired by marijuana use increased from 1,864 in 2008 to 2,387 in 2010.
Among impaired Washington State drivers, the percentage found to be under the influence of marijuana increased from 41.9% in 2008 to 47.7% in 2010.
Drivers who test positive for marijuana or self-report marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes.
Washington State Law (RCW 69.51A)
The law allows a qualifying patient or designated provider to grow medical marijuana. It is not legal to buy or sell it.
A designated provider can only be a provider for one patient at any one time.
The law does not allow dispensaries.
A qualifying patient or designated provider may have a 60-day supply of medical marijuana, which is defined as 24 ounces and 15 plants.
Qualifying patients can create and participate in collective gardens.
No more than ten qualifying patients may participate in a collective garden; A collective garden may contain no more than 15 plants per patient, up to a total of 45 plants; A collective garden may contain no more than 24 ounces of cannabis per patient up to a total of 72 ounces
A collective garden means qualifying patients share responsibility for acquiring a location, equipment, supplies and labor needed to plant, grow and harvest cannabis.
This and other information can be found at www.mfiles.org
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