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
Cannabis use may quadruple diabetes risk | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | 2025
SUMMARY
A massive study of over 4 million adults has revealed that cannabis use may nearly quadruple the risk of developing diabetes. Despite some earlier suggestions that cannabis might have metabolic benefits, this large analysis found significantly higher diabetes rates among users, even after adjusting for other health factors.
Smoking cannabis with tobacco may disrupt the brain’s “bliss molecule” | McGill University | 2025
Summary: Scientists found that people who use both cannabis and tobacco show a distinct brain pattern tied to mood and stress regulation. Their scans revealed higher levels of an enzyme that reduces a natural feel-good molecule in the brain. This imbalance may help explain why co-users experience more anxiety and struggle more when quitting.
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Stronger weed, higher risk? Potent THC linked to psychosis and addiction | American College of Physicians | 2025
Summary: A sweeping review of nearly 100 studies has raised concerns about the mental health impacts of high-potency cannabis products. Researchers found strong links to psychosis, schizophrenia, and cannabis use disorder, while results for anxiety and depression were mixed and sometimes contradictory. Although the findings confirm that higher THC concentrations pose risks, the evidence still isn’t clear enough to offer firm clinical guidance, leaving scientists calling for better-designed studies to fill the gaps.
Where cannabis stores cluster, emergency visits climb | American College of Physicians | 2025
Summary: Researchers analyzed data from over six million people to see how close residents lived to cannabis retailers. Neighborhoods near these shops experienced higher cannabis-related emergency visits compared with those farther away. The effect was strongest where multiple stores were packed into small areas. These trends suggest that store density plays a meaningful role in community health.
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.