Summary
Brief Video Highlight
THE DR. LAWRENCE H. AND ROBERTA COHN FORUMS
MARIJUANA: The Latest Scientific Findings and Legalization
Presented jointly with The Huffington Post
Friday, March 24, 2017
California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Nevada became the latest states to legalize recreational marijuana, bringing to 28 the number of states that have okayed the drug for medicinal use, recreational use, or both. Even more states have rules that allow certain kinds of cannabis extracts to be used for medical purposes. At the same time that state legalization is increasing, the Trump administration is signaling that it may ramp up enforcement of federal drug laws, even when they come into conflict with state laws allowing recreational marijuana use. State and local governments may find themselves on uncertain legal ground. Meanwhile, policymakers navigating this new landscape are also working largely without the benefit of a solid foundation of scientific evidence on the drug’s risks and benefits. In fact, a new National Academy of Medicine report describes notable gaps in scientific data on the short- and long-term health effects of marijuana. What do we know about the health impacts of marijuana, and what do we still need to learn? This Forum brought together researchers studying marijuana’s health impacts with policymakers who are working to implement new laws in ways that will benefit and protect public health.
Tweet us @ForumHSPH #marijuanascience
Part of: The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums.
Presented jointly with The Huffington Post
Background Articles
- Age of Onset of Marijuana Use and Executive Function
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors - Worth the wait: effects of age of onset of marijuana use on white matter and impulsivity
Psychopharmacology - Splendor in the Grass? A Pilot Study Assessing the Impact of Medical Marijuana on Executive Function
Frontiers in Pharmacology - The impact of initiation: Early onset marijuana smokers demonstrate altered Stroop performance and brain activation
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience - Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core
Dr. Staci Gruber site for more information
Image Credit: iStockphoto.com/gaspr13
