As pediatricians and nurse practitioners who care for children, we are very concerned about the misperception that use of marijuana is safe. Happily, the use of tobacco and alcohol by teenagers is decreasing. Unhappily, the use of marijuana by teenagers is increasing. We fear the potential health consequences of trading one addictive and harmful substance for another.
Ongoing research may confirm or identify certain illnesses where marijuana or one of its ingredients has a significant medical purpose. There may be limited medical situations where the benefit of marijuana use outweighs the risks. However, this is quite different from the view that the non-medical use of marijuana is safe.
Young people deserve to be told the position of their health care providers and of their parents on this issue. We urge every adult who cares for children to take the unequivocal position that the non-medical use of marijuana is not safe and may have serious adverse impacts on the health of users of this substance.
References:
Volkow N, Baler R, Compton W, Weiss S. Adverse health effects of marijuana use. N Engl J Med 2014; 370:2219-27.
Ammerman S, Ryan S, Adelman WP; Committee on Substance Abuse, the Committee on Adolescence.
Pediatrics. 2015 Mar;135(3):e769-85 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/135/3/584.long
