Marijuana Issues Facing Arizona

Changing Attitudes toward Marijuana

How has marijuana changed from 1990 to 2015?

What do youth tell us?

Insights on youth marijuana use in Arizona

2014 Arizona Youth SurveyArizona Criminal Justice Commission

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Past 30 Day Substance Use (2014)

Alc

ohol

Mar

ijuan

a

Cig

arett

es

Chew

ing

Toba

cco

Pre

scri

ption

D...

OTC

Inha

lant

s

Hal

luci

noge

ns

Ecst

asy

Coca

ine

Synt

heti

cs

Ster

oids

Her

oin

Met

h0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

24.1

13.69.4

6.6 6.33.4 2.0 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.3 0.3

Perc

ent (

%) R

epor

ting

Use

Cumulative Percent Change in Arizona Youth Substance Use Rates (2006-2014)

Alcohol Marijuana Cigarettes *Rx Drugs

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

-33.61

3.82

-38.56-41.12

Perc

ent (

%) C

hang

e

*Rx Drug Cumulative Change is from 2008-2012

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Past 30 Day Marijuana Use (2014)By County

Gila Pima Greenlee Yavapai Coconino La Paz Pinal Apache Maricopa Navajo Mohave Cochise Graham Yuma Santa Cruz0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

19.3 18.3 16.7 16.6 15.5 15.3 15.3 14.4 13.3 12.9 12.7 11.2 9.4 8.6 5.2

Perc

ent (

%) R

epor

ting

Use

State Average = 13.6%

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting Delinquent Behavior

Suspended from School Assault Been Arrested Drunk or High at School Sold Drugs0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

23.918.8 18.1

60.0

29.522.2 23.9

18.0

50.7

27.218.5 16.4 13.2

39.0

18.4

Past 30 Day Marijuana Users Past 30 Day Rx Drug Users Past 30 Day Alcohol Users

Perc

ent (

%) R

epor

ting

Use

Where Arizona Youth Obtained Marijuana*

Friends Parties Family/Relative Someone with a medical mj card

School Home0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

78.6

28.6

14.8 11.6 13.46.1

75.7

27.1

14.3 14.3 11.35.7

2012 2014

Perc

ent (

%) Y

outh

Rep

ortin

g Ea

ch S

ourc

e

*Students could pick more than one source; will not sum to 100%

Age of First Use by Substance Type in Arizona

2006 2008 2010 2012 201412.00

12.50

13.00

13.50

14.00

12.8

12.9

13.1

12.8

12.9

12.5

12.7

12.9

12.7

12.9

13.2

13.5

13.6 13.613.7

13.5

13.4

Alcohol Cigarettes Marijuana Rx Drugs

Aver

age

Age

in Y

ears

Age of First Use for Arizona Youth Marijuana Users

2006 2008 2010 2012 201412

12.5

13

13.5

14

14.5

13.61

13.81

13.99 13.96

14.08

13.05

13.31 13.31

13.53

13.64

12.83

12.97 12.97

13.31 13.27

12.28

12.57 12.57

12.78 12.78

Experimental Use (1-2x past 30 days)

Weekend Use (3-9x past 30 days)

Weekend+Some Weekday Use (10-19x past 30 days)

Habitual Use (20+ x past 30 days)

Aver

age

Age

in Y

ears

Percentage of Arizona Youth Reporting No/Slight Risk of Marijuana Use

2006 2008 2010 2012 20140

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Try Marijuana Regular use of marijuana

Perc

ent (

%) R

epor

ting

Use

25.8%% Increase

116.6% Increase

Use of Marijuana Increasing, Perception of Marijuana’s Risk Decreasing

Factors Contributing to Arizona Youth Attitudes About Marijuana (2014

Cool to use marijuana

Not wrong to use marijuana

Peer approval of mar-ijuana use

Know adults who use marijuana

Siblings use marijuana

Best friends use mari-juana

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

21.1 17.9

29.038.6

28.4

38.7

55.0

85.2 88.7

78.168.7

96.1

No Past 30 Day Marijuana Use Past 30 Day Marijuana Use

Perc

ent (

%) Y

outh

at R

isk

Over HALF of Arizona youth have never talked to their parents about alcohol or

drugs!

Factors Contributing to the Lack of Parent-Child Conversations (2014)

Can't share with parents

Can't go to parents with problems

Honesty with parents not important

Parents never/rarely notice good job

Parents never/rarely say they are proud

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

34.6

22.414.3

40.0 38.646.8

34.529.9

54.9 53.2

No Past 30 Day Marijuana Use Past 30 Day Marijuana Use

Perc

ent (

%) Y

outh

at R

isk

Reasons Past 30 Day Arizona Youth Marijuana Users Gave for Using Substances (2014)

Hav

e fu

n

Get

hig

h

Dea

l wit

h st

ress

Keep

from

fe

elin

g sa

d

Stop

bor

edom

Oth

er

To fo

cus

Try

som

ethi

ng

new

Feel

nor

mal

Beca

use

I ne

eded

it

Fit

in

Lose

wei

ght

Get

bac

k at

m

y pa

rent

s

Be m

ore

grow

n up

Be li

ke a

fa

mou

s pe

rson

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

55.8 54.0

41.0

32.2

26.622.9

20.5 20.4

11.1 9.3 8.25.0

2.8 2.3 1.6

Perc

ent (

%) Y

outh

Rep

ortin

g Re

ason

s

*Students could pick more than one reason; will not sum to 100%

Reasons Non-Marijuana Users Gave for Not Using Substances (2014)

Not

inte

rest

ed

Can

hurt

me

Pare

nt d

isap

prov

al

Coul

d be

arr

este

d

Oth

er a

dult

di

sapp

rova

l

Mor

ally

wro

ng

Lose

pri

vela

ges

Mig

ht g

et e

xpel

led

Get

a b

ad

repu

tatio

n

Frie

nds

disa

ppro

ve

Aga

inst

bel

iefs

Don

't li

ke

Coul

dn't

find

any

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

77.4

53.1 52.5

44.740.6 40.5 40.4 39.6

33.4

25.819.9

6.9 5.9

Perc

ent (

%) Y

outh

Rep

ortin

g Re

ason

s

Percentage of Each Age of Marijuana Initiation for Arizona Youth (2014)

12 years; 11.6%

13 years; 19.5%

14 years; 18.9%

15 years; 17.4%

19 or Older; 0.3%

1 out of 8 Arizona youth who use marijuana started

using in elementary school

80% of Arizona youth who use marijuana started

using before they could legally drive a car

1 in 5 Arizona youthwho use marijuana started at age 13

Marijuana and the Brain

THC and Your Brain

• THC stimulates the “reward circuit” of the brain

• Causes intense surges in dopamine to create the “high” or euphoria

EFFECTS Euphoria, laughter Distorted perception of time Impaired coordination Reduced inhibition & risky behavior Difficulty with thinking and problem

solving Memory loss

Impaired Driving Slower reaction times Impaired judgment Problems responding to signals and sound

Marijuana Rewires the Brain

Substitutes the high of a drug for the high from a job well done.

Reward without effort

Long-term damage to brain’s natural reward system (brain is re-wired)

Long-term cognitive damage Memory & learning skills impaired

Marijuana Slowly Hijacks Brain’s Natural Reward System

Amotivational Syndrome• Persistent procrastination• Low productivity; low energy• Grandiosity• Low self-confidence• Lack of clear thinking• Bad or guilty feelings• Anxiety; panic attacks; paranoia• Unreliable• Decline in personal relations• Poor academic outcomes

Weekly Teen Use of Marijuana Lowers IQ By 7-8 points by Age 38

IQ Drops in Adults Who Regularly Used Marijuana Before Age 18

• Frequent Use at age 38 = 7-8 point drop

• Infrequent Use at age 38 = 4-5 point drop

• Lost cognitive abilities not fully restored even in adults who quit

Regular Marijuana Use is Harmful to Developing Adolescent Brain

Marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory and learning can last for days or weeks (even after intoxication is gone)

Impairment, low energy and reduced initiative mean poor academic outcomes

• Users 3.6 times less likely to graduate from high school• Daily users 60% less likely to graduate• Users 2.3 times less likely to enroll in college• Users 3.7 times less likely to get a college degree

• About 9% (1 in 11) of users may become dependent• 17% (1 in 6) who start use in adolescence• 25-50% of daily users

Prolonged drug use changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways

Brain is “rewired” Adjusts to the drug Drug use becomes necessary simply to feel

normal

Drug use continues despite tremendous negative consequences

Marijuana is an Addictive Drug

THC OF TODAY

Average THC and CBD Levels in the US: 1960 - 2011

1960

1965

1970

1974

1975

1978

1980

1983

1984

1985

1986

1992

1993

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

THC

0.2

0.24

0.39

0.47

1 1 1.5

3.3

3.3

3.5

3.5

3.1

3.1

4 4.54

5.16

4.96

4.67

5.4

6.18

7.26

7.18

8.33

8.09

9.08

10.27

10.25

9.91

10.96

11.42

CBD

NaN

NaN

NaN

NaN

NaN

NaN

NaN

NaN

0.28

0.31

0.38

0.36

0.33

0.31

0.42

0.4

0.41

0.43

0.45

0.47

0.42

0.46

0.46

0.46

0.53

0.48

0.41

NaN

NaN

NaN

1

3

5

7

9

11

13M

AR

IJU

AN

A P

OTE

NCY

NON-Psychoactive Ingredient

THC:Psychoactive Ingredient

Increases Potency and Emergency Department Visits Involving Marijuana, Cocaine, or Heroin

Effects of THC on Mental Illness

• Since 2002, almost a dozen studies have shown that regular use of marijuana carries a significant increased risk of developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia.

• Higher risk for:• Those with a family history of the disorders• Those with a psychosis-prone personality• Those who start using in early adolescence

• Risks increase with potency and frequency of use

Teen Illicit Use Highest in Medical Marijuana States

*23 Medical Marijuana states

ARIZONA #20

Arizona Medical Marjuana Act

Medical Conditions Profile

Age and Gender of Cardholders as of 9/30/14

Quarterly Report 2014

• Report published November 13, 2014 by the Department of Health Services• 615 physicians provided certifications to 51,783 patients during this time

period. • 25 physicians certified approximately 60% of the patients.

SUGGESTED STRATEGIES

The best treatment is still prevention

Normalizing sobriety is key

Marijuana Harmless? Think Again!

MarijuanaHarmlessThinkAgain.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Marijuana Harmless? Think Again!, www.marijuanaharmlessthinkagain.org

• ACJC SAC website: http://www.azcjc.gov/ACJC.Web/sac/Default.aspx

• Community Data Project website: http://www.azcjc.gov/cdp_site/default.aspx

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, www.samhsa.org

• National Institute on Drug Abuse, www.nida.nih.gove

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, www.niaaa.nih.gove

Paige GulliksonGrowing Kids Preschool

2014