Changing Attitudes toward Marijuana How has marijuana changed from 1990 to 2015?

What do youth tell us? Insights on youth marijuana use in Arizona 2014 Arizona Youth Survey Arizona Criminal Justice Commission

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Past 30 Day Substance Use (2014)

Cumulative Percent Change in Arizona Youth Substance Use Rates ( )

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Past 30 Day Marijuana Use (2014) By County

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Delinquent Behavior

Where Arizona Youth Obtained Marijuana*

Age of First Use by Substance Type in Arizona

Age of First Use for Arizona Youth Marijuana Users

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting No/Slight Risk of Marijuana Use

Use of Marijuana Increasing, Perception of Marijuana’s Risk Decreasing

Factors Contributing to Arizona Youth Attitudes About Marijuana (2014

Over HALF of Arizona youth have never talked to their parents about alcohol or drugs!

Factors Contributing to the Lack of Parent-Child Conversations (2014)

Reasons Past 30 Day Arizona Youth Marijuana Users Gave for Using Substances (2014)

Reasons Non-Marijuana Users Gave for Not Using Substances (2014)

Percentage of Each Age of Marijuana Initiation for Arizona Youth (2014)

Marijuana and the Brain

THC and Your Brain THC stimulates the “reward circuit” of the brain Causes intense surges in dopamine to create the “high” or euphoria EFFECTS  Euphoria, laughter  Distorted perception of time  Impaired coordination  Reduced inhibition & risky behavior  Difficulty with thinking and problem solving  Memory loss Impaired Driving  Slower reaction times  Impaired judgment  Problems responding to signals and sound

Marijuana Rewires the Brain Substitutes the high of a drug for the high from a job well done.  Reward without effort  Long-term damage to brain’s natural reward system (brain is re-wired)  Long-term cognitive damage  Memory & learning skills impaired

Marijuana Slowly Hijacks Brain’s Natural Reward System Amotivational Syndrome Persistent procrastination Low productivity; low energy Grandiosity Low self-confidence Lack of clear thinking Bad or guilty feelings Anxiety; panic attacks; paranoia Unreliable Decline in personal relations Poor academic outcomes

Weekly Teen Use of Marijuana Lowers IQ By 7-8 points by Age 38 IQ Drops in Adults Who Regularly Used Marijuana Before Age 18 Frequent Use at age 38 = 7-8 point drop Infrequent Use at age 38 = 4-5 point drop Lost cognitive abilities not fully restored even in adults who quit

Regular Marijuana Use is Harmful to Developing Adolescent Brain Marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory and learning can last for days or weeks (even after intoxication is gone) Impairment, low energy and reduced initiative mean poor academic outcomes Users 3.6 times less likely to graduate from high school Daily users 60% less likely to graduate Users 2.3 times less likely to enroll in college Users 3.7 times less likely to get a college degree

About 9% (1 in 11) of users may become dependent 17% (1 in 6) who start use in adolescence 25-50% of daily users  Prolonged drug use changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways  Brain is “rewired”  Adjusts to the drug  Drug use becomes necessary simply to feel normal  Drug use continues despite tremendous negative consequences Marijuana is an Addictive Drug

THC OF TODAY

Average THC and CBD Levels in the US:

Increases Potency and Emergency Department Visits Involving Marijuana, Cocaine, or Heroin

Effects of THC on Mental Illness Since 2002, almost a dozen studies have shown that regular use of marijuana carries a significant increased risk of developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia. Higher risk for: Those with a family history of the disorders Those with a psychosis-prone personality Those who start using in early adolescence Risks increase with potency and frequency of use

Teen Illicit Use Highest in Medical Marijuana States *23 Medical Marijuana states ARIZONA #20

Arizona Medical Marjuana Act

Medical Conditions Profile

Age and Gender of Cardholders as of 9/30/14

Quarterly Report 2014 Report published November 13, 2014 by the Department of Health Services 615 physicians provided certifications to 51,783 patients during this time period. 25 physicians certified approximately 60% of the patients.

SUGGESTED STRATEGIES The best treatment is still prevention Normalizing sobriety is key

Marijuana Harmless? Think Again! MarijuanaHarmlessThinkAgain.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION Marijuana Harmless? Think Again!, ACJC SAC website: Community Data Project website: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,

Paige Gullikson Growing Kids Preschool 2014