A NIDA-funded study showed that while parents in the state of Washington are discussing with their children the legalization of recreational marijuana use among adults, they are unsure what is legal and illegal under the new laws. The study showed that many parents and teens do not know the laws surrounding the age limit for marijuana use, how much marijuana can be possessed, or that homegrown marijuana is illegal. The findings support the need for improved educational outreach about the law as well as prevention efforts.
For a copy of the article, published in the Substance Use and Misuse, go to: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/full/10.3109/10826084.2014.952447. For more information about the health effects of marijuana, go to: www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana.
For more information, contact the NIDA press office at media@nida.nih.gov or 301-443-6245.