Do you know how the upcoming ballot measure, which calls for legalizing recreational and commercialized marijuana in Montana, if passed, will negatively affect our youth?
I want to share some data from other states where marijuana has been legalized. In Colorado, Oregon and Washington, the average percentage of marijuana use among youth aged 12-17 was higher than the national average. Colorado leads the country in use of marijuana by youth and has the first place ranking for first time marijuana use among adolescents; first time use has increased 65% since legalization.
Marijuana is addictive. The National Institute of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse states that one in six people who begin using marijuana in adolescence will become addicted.
Also, all Montanans will be at increased risk of fatal car crashes. The National Institute of Health surveyed high school seniors and found that 1 in 8 drove after using marijuana. The drug has shown to slow reaction time, impair judgement, and decrease coordination. It has been proven that there is a connection between legalizing marijuana and an increase in crashes.
According to SAMHSA, 7.3% of persons aged 12 and older use marijuana at least once per month. If it is legalized in Montana, surely there will be more use. Knowing that alcohol and tobacco kill more people than all other drugs combined, do we really want to add another legalized drug to the mix?
Marijuana use can have negative effects on the developing brain when used in adolescence. Also, marijuana is linked to school dropout and lower educational achievement, difficulty thinking and problem solving, problems with memory and learning, and mental health issues.
We need to look at the actual data and facts, and learn from states that have already legalized marijuana so that our state doesn’t pass a law that will directly create increased risk for our youth.
— Lee Benner, Retired teacher at Clancy Elementary School and member of the Jefferson County DUI Task Force
