2 New Studies Examine Marijuana Use among Youth

2 New Studies Examine Marijuana Use among Youth

#1: Alcohol, Marijuana and Sexual Risk among Adolescents 

A study published in Sexual Health and posted on the RAND Corporation website examined whether marijuana use alone or with alcohol contributes to sexual risk behavior among adolescents. 

These risk behaviors included having two or more sexual partners in the past 3-months and having condomless sex.  

The authors concluded that providers should screen for alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents and discuss with them how these substances alone and together may increase sexual risk behaviors. 

Read the abstract:

https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP67532.html 

#2: Marijuana-related Adolescent Emergency Care Visits 

A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health evaluated the impact of marijuana legalization on adolescent emergency department and urgent care visits in Colorado. 

Marijuana-related visits increased from 1.8 per 1,000 visits in 2009 to 4.9 in 2015. 

The authors concluded that there was a significant increase in adolescent marijuana-associated emergency and urgent care visits.  

Read the abstract: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X18300041 

Conclusion 

These studies document two important problems associated with adolescent marijuana consumption.  

One is increased risk for sexual behaviors that can result in unplanned adolescent pregnancies and HIV/STI cases.

 The second is a rise in emergency and urgent care use resulting from negative reactions to marijuana use. 

Both problems have significant negative health, social and economic consequences for youth, their families and society.  

It is critical that the provision of prevention interventions be radically increased for all youth, but particularly those in states where marijuana is legal for recreational or medical use, to counter the these and other negative outcomes which result from underage marijuana consumption. 

Please like and share this important new research with others in your region and state.  Thank you!

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