One of the main problems of marijuana legalization was that it might lead to harder drugs. Well, that’s what the government thought anyway. However, as we have written on numerous occasions, the public image of medical marijuana has changed significantly over the years, this time towards a more positive trend. Basically, when you legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, more people will have access to it, there is no doubt about that. But, here we’re talking about the ‘forbidden fruit’ syndrome. The more you limit access to something, the more people want it. That’s a no brainer.
Marijuana Leads To Harder Drugs?
Because of that, everybody expected that some US states would become zombified because they now allow the usage of marijuana for recreational purposes and anyone over 21 years of age will now have access to it. Hell, even kids below 21 will have no problem whatsoever obtaining marijuana. But, to be perfectly honest, access to marijuana in the US was never really all that complicated. In some states, all you have to do is order marijuana from craigslist and somebody will turn up at your house with a bag of weed. Granted, that’s not the smartest way of obtaining marijuana but that doesn’t mean people don’t do it.
Usage Declining
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has conducted another survey that shows whether teen marijuana use is on the rise or not. The survey encompasses about 50,000 students from 8th to 12th grade and it doesn’t just concern marijuana but other drugs as well, including alcohol and nicotine. And the results are staggering but not in the way you might expect them to be. First of all, marijuana use is down. In 2013, it lingered on about 26%. In 2014, it declined to 24%. As far as daily cannabis tokers are concerned, their usage has fallen from 6.5% to 5.8% in 2014.
This is all great news for Colorado and Washington because it shows that these two states have managed to implement rules and regulations properly and successfully. The two states have implemented those laws in 2012 and after three years – the results are quite positive. We’ll see if Alaska learns something from Washington and Colorado. All this, of course, may also be a result of the fact that marijuana is no longer taboo.
Marijuana No Longer Taboo
People are actually talking about it, not only on a political level but in the privacy of their own homes. As a result, parents can now openly talk to their kids about possible perils and advantages of marijuana usage. Marijuana has become a big deal and the overwhelming public support of marijuana legalization proves to show that it is here to stay. We hope this massive survey is enough proof to show even the most hardcore skeptics that marijuana legalization can work on all fronts, not just in terms of making a quick buck on the side. It is now essential to instruct other states in careful implementation of marijuana rules and regulations.
