Marijuana and Kids

This article talks about the long lasting controversial issue of medical marijuana. It states that while nearly two-thirds of people agree that their state should allow medical marijuana for adults, half as many -- just over a third -- say it should be allowed for children. It also states that eighty percent of respondents say adults shouldn't be allowed to use medical marijuana in front of kids. States have now been permitting medical marijuana and only few enforce strict rules regarding use by children. The majority of Americans worry that exposure to marijuana may be harmful to kids' health.

The article states the from the Mott poll ten percent of respondents in the Mott poll either have a medical marijuana card or know someone who does, while 7 percent either use marijuana when children are present or know someone who does. Medical marijuana laws have been in the news around the country because of the ethical and legal complexity it has brought. There have even been cases of children even being taken away from parents using medical marijuana at home. In Maine, even though medical marijuana is legal, the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled that it can make a person unfit as a parent and therefore risk custody rights.

More states are being faced with questions regarding if children that have qualifying conditions should be able to use it too. In Connecticut, they are considering a bill that would expand the state's medical marijuana program to children. In New Jersey, the health department recently took a step toward allowing edible medical marijuana for kids. Colorado permits a special strain of cannabis known as "Charlotte's Web" used by hundreds of children.

There is little science about the safety of treating children with medical marijuana. Research has indicated that children’s brains and nervous systems are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of marijuana. This raises a concern in some people. Advocates for medical marijuana argue that it can be safe and effective for treating symptoms related to diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and epilepsy for adults and children. Others are concerned about inadequate scientific testing as a treatment, negative side effects on the brain and other organs and evidence that drug use early in life is more likely to lead to drug addiction in adulthood.

This is an ethical issue that we are being faced with and is very controversial. More research should be done on this subject in order to get more information on the affects it could have on children.

Reference:

University of Michigan Health System. (2015, April). Most Americans say medical marijuana shouldn't be used by kids or in front of kids, legal or not. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150420084545.htm