'Troubling' link between medical marijuana and cannabis addiction in Colorado

Categories

Addiction Treatment
Alcohol
Drugs
Gambling
In the papers
On TV

News Archive

Home » News » Drugs » 'Troubling' link between medical marijuana and cannabis addiction in Colorado

by Change | 8 Apr 2010

Bookmark

E-mail

The medical marijuana industry in Colorado needs to be better regulated to stop young people from abusing it, it has been stated.

More must be done to regulate the medical marijuana industry in Colorado in order to protect the state's young people.

This is according to Denver Democrat Chris Romer and Denver-based psychiatrist Christian Thurstone, who wrote in the Denver Post's guest commentary section that marijuana tends to be more addictive among people under the age of 21.

The drug is both psychologically and physically addictive, and despite being casually used by millions of people around the world, one in six adolescents who try it become addicted.

"As marijuana becomes more available to adults in Colorado, more kids will have access to it," the pair warned in their article.

"That is particularly troubling given that our state ranks almost dead last in the nation for substance abuse treatment funding."

Denver has seen an increase in the number of young people referred to its drug addiction clinics, while waiting lists for addiction services have increased to as long as three months.

This trend has been blamed on the misuse of Colorado's medical marijuana industry, with experts calling for new laws that make it harder for people aged under 21 to get medical marijuana licenses.

The Medical Marijuana Registry program was implemented in 2001 following the November 2000 general election.

Bookmark this: