Facts & Risks
Educate Your Family on Dangers of Marijuana Use
Marijuana use comes with real risks that can impact a person’s health and life.
Whether marijuana is smoked, vaped, or eaten, there are adverse effects associated with use in any form.
Studies have found marijuana is an addictive, harmful, and mind altering drug. It over-activates parts of the brain and negatively affects brain development. Marijuana leads to physical health problems, mental health problems, and risk of addiction.
With the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana throughout the United States, marijuana potency has increased exponentially. Concentrates are not the traditional joint of the past. Concentrates are highly potent, THC-rich forms of marijuana that can be vaped, dabbed, and used in edibles.
Exposure to high levels of THC, the chemical in marijuana that causes impairment, increases the risks of physical dependence and addiction. Higher doses of THC are more likely to produce anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and psychosis.
Arizona Parents: Do you need tips on how to talk to your child about the new recreational marijuana laws? Download these talking tips today.
Surgeon General Advisory
– VADM Jerome Adams, the first Surgeon General Advisory on marijuana since 1982
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Almost 30% of teens have used marijuana - this is TOO many!
Latest Studies
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, 2016 to 2022 | JAMA Network Open | November 2025
Conclusions And Relevance In this cross-sectional study of US ED visits, CHS prevalence increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained elevated. The findings highlight the need for continued vigilance and refinements to the clinical recognition of CHS.
Cigarette and cannabis use and co-use among U.S. adults: An examination of prevalence and trends during 2015–2023 | Science Direct | January 2026
Conclusion: Cannabis-only use and co-use trends pose public health risks akin to cigarettes, necessitating targeted prevention campaigns. A multi-pronged strategy of public health education, early detection, and effective treatment development is vital to prevent cannabis from becoming the next public health crisis.
Marijuana ingestion in children younger than 5 up more than 1,000% | Alcohol & Drug Abuse Weekly | October 2025
Abstract: In the past 7 years, rates of marijuana ingestion – mostly edibles that look like candy – among children under 5 years old has risen more than 1,000%, according to research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2025 National Conference in Denver last week. The study, Rising Trends in Pediatric Marijuana Ingestions: A Retrospective Analysis of the Impact of COVID-19 on Emergency Department Presentations, reviewed over 2,300 pediatric emergency department (ED) cases from 2016 through 2023. “Even young children in states where marijuana is not legal are being hospitalized after unintentionally ingesting cannabis products—often edibles that look like candy,” said study author Brittain Robinson, MD, FAAP, of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The study was conducted at a pediatric ED in Tennessee, where cannabis remains illegal. In addition, the proportion of total ED visits attributable to marijuana ingestion tripled during this time.
1.54 Cannabis Potency and Adolescent Mental Health: Understanding the Link to Psychosis | Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry | October 2025
Results: THC levels have risen from 4% in 1995 to over 17% in 2017, with some concentrates reaching 90%, increasing demand for high-potency cannabis marketed as “premium.” This rise in potency is linked to greater neurodevelopmental vulnerability in adolescents, cognitive impairments, and a higher risk of psychotic disorders.
Why more cannabis users are landing in the ER with severe vomiting | University of Washington School of Medicine | 2025
Summary: Chronic cannabis use is increasingly linked to recurring bouts of vomiting, now officially classified as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. The new ICD code helps doctors identify cases more consistently and gives researchers a clearer picture of how often it occurs. Patients often resist the diagnosis, and the condition’s causes remain murky. Relief can come from unusual sources like hot showers or capsaicin cream.
Latest NEWS Commentary
Teens who use weed before age 15 have more trouble later, a study finds | NPR | 10/29/2025
Teens who start using cannabis before age 15 are more likely to use the drug often later in their lives. They are also more likely to develop mental and physical health problems in young adulthood compared to their peers who did not use the drug in adolescence.
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Nearly half of drivers killed in crashes had THC in their blood | Science Daily | 10/6/2025
Over 40% of fatal crash victims had THC levels far above legal limits, showing cannabis use before driving remains widespread. The rate didn’t drop after legalization, suggesting policy changes haven’t altered risky habits. Experts warn that the lack of public awareness around marijuana’s dangers behind the wheel is putting lives at risk.
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Marijuana hospital visits linked to dementia diagnosis within 5 years, study finds | CNN | 4/20/2025
Sunday is 420 day, when lovers of marijuana get together to celebrate their fondness for weed. Yet research shows that regular users of marijuana are at risk for serious conditions, including strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure and myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle.