The effect of legalization on teen cannabis use

Oregon Health & Science University, teen use of cannabis has been going up every year, with a 225% increase in 20 years.

The risks of underage use are taught during the first semester of freshman year through the Life Skills course that is required to all students. To further reduce use at Sequoia, the Teen Resource Center supports students struggling with their mental health and use cannabis to self-medicate.

Has the proximity of Embarc and legalization increased student usage?

Sequoia seems to have a different experience. According to Vice Principal Sophia Oliver, students have actually been using cannabis at school less in the past years.

“The AVP office has not seen an increase in drug use in the past 5 years. From 2017-18, to 2018-19, to 2019-20 there was a decrease in drug use,” Oliver said.

dollars in tax revenue. Advocates in Redwood City argued that the positive effects that legalization has had on the economy as well as the medicinal possibilities of

The COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to track drug use off campus but it is common knowledge that many Sequoia students use cannabis in social settings in the same way many teenagers drink alcohol.

The students interviewed and whose names were changed never purchased their weed at a dispensary. Legal or not, students have been using weed recreationally and for alleviating stress.

“I personally find it hella fun to smoke weed with my homies at home or at parties and chill you know,” senior Mary Jane* said.

However, others use cannabis as a way to self medicate issues such as anxiety, insomnia and depression.

“I use marijuana because I have anxiety and I have a hard time sleeping sometimes just because I’m so riled up and anxious and it really calms the nerves and reminds me that everything’s gonna be alright,” senior John Smith said.

While these issues fall under the scope of issues cannabis is prescribed for, the use of cannabis before the brain is fully developed might instead make these issues worse in the long term.