A Warning for Parents About Marijuana Legalization-Teens and the Era of Legalization

29 states and Washington, D.C. now allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, recreational use or both. Sheryl Ryan, M.D., FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics at the Yale University School of Medicine, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Committee on Substance Abuse was one of the authors of a report titled “Counseling Parents and Teens About Marijuana Use in the Era of Legalization of Marijuana,” which outlines why a relaxed attitude about the drug is dangerous and how parents should address the topic. She said marijuana is an addictive drug that can cause abnormal changes as teens’ brains develop.