Teens and Young Adults

Adult-use: If you are 21 years or older, you may legally use cannabis without a doctor's recommendation.

Medicinal-use: If you have a doctor's recommendation and are 18 years or older, you may legally use cannabis.

• Many studies suggest that using cannabis frequently and in high doses could have long-term health consequences. Since brains develop through 25 years of age, the younger a person is, the more likely they are to see negative health outcomes from use.
• Being high can affect short-term attention and concentration which could lower academic achievement over time. A common woe of adults who used cannabis when they were younger is how much time they feel was wasted while being high.
• The younger you are when you start using cannabis or any other substance, the more likely you are to struggle with addiction later in life.

Everyone must make their own choice about whether to use cannabis or other substances.

• Not everyone will react the same way to cannabis. What makes one person feel good can make another feel bad. How you respond to cannabis depends on your biology, the potency of the cannabis, your previous experience with the drug, how it is used (smoking vs. ingesting), and whether other substances are used at the same time.
• Cannabis can exacerbate existing or cause emergence of pre-disposed mental health conditions. If you or any of your family members have anxiety, PTSD, or schizophrenia, you should not use cannabis.

It can be difficult to be different. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Fewer of your peers use cannabis regularly than you think (in 2016, less than 7% of 12-17 year olds say they have used cannabis), and of those who do, many report using cannabis primarily to fit in. Be confident in your choices, and you may find many of your friends feel more comfortable following your example than you expect!
• Practice how you’ll respond in a situation where you may be expected to use cannabis or other substances. You could say that you have a sports game or big test coming up, or that you’re afraid your parents would find out and disapprove.

While it's easy to get excited about fewer restrictions on cannabis, it's important to consider how little is known about its long-term impacts on health. Because of how cannabis is classified by the federal government, long-term scientific studies have been very difficult to complete.

While abstaining from use is the safest choice, to reduce health risks from using cannabis:

• Wait until your body and brain are done developing - around 25 years of age
• Consume it less frequently, and in lower concentration
• Obtain it from a reputable source or licensed dispensary, where it has been lab tested for contaminants and potency
• Avoid inhalation methods of consumption, such as smoking or vaping
• Do not drive while under the influence of cannabis

While no adult death has been confirmed to be caused directly by cannabis poisoning, risky behavior while high has resulted in death. Additionally, there is some evidence suggesting cannabis poisoning may be deadly to children. 

For adults, if you think you may have used too much cannabis, the best thing to do is relax and wait in a safe place for the drug to leave your body. If your discomfort becomes so intense that you think you need medical attention, ask someone to take you to the emergency room or dial 9-1-1. Do not try to drive yourself.

If you think a child is suffering from cannabis poisoning, take them immediately to the nearest emergency room or dial 9-1-1.

Synthetic cannabis, also known as K2 or Spice is a compound that is man-made to immitate THC. It is not legal and is very dangerous. It has been shown to have significant health consequences including death, even when used infrequently in small quantities.