Cognitive Impact of Cannabis on Youth

This is an interesting report just before cannabis was legalized by SF Dept of Public Health, 

1) Concern for the cognitive impacts on youth

2) Youth perception: "Among youth in the focus group, cannabis was also perceived as easy to obtain, with its use perceived as normalized and associated with being “chill” and “cool” among youth." p. 12

3) Key informants had diverse views on medical cannabis dispensaries and believed their impact on surrounding communities was either minimal (e.g. don’t contribute crime; most adhere to rules; any issues are mostly quality of life issues), positive (e.g. improved block; lowered crime through activation and security), or negative (e.g. clusters in certain neighborhoods; crowds out other retail; attracts problem clientele; have normalizing effect on youth). According to the observations of one youth organization key informant, “MCDs are open early in the morning. The exposure to kids when they walk by makes a difference. Cannabis becomes normalized when they walk by it every day. If you see cannabis every day, young people may not realize that it still needs to be consumed responsibly”. Among youth focus group participants, MCDs were perceived as having a negative impact on neighborhoods. Specifically, they highlighted that MCDs were an increasing presence, disproportionately locating in communities of color, and not benefiting existing community members. p. 12

4) Multiple local informants specified that legalization could have various health harms. Most notably, informants believed that it would lead to an increases cannabis use, especially among youth due to increased exposure to cannabis and the normalization of use. Concern was also raised regarding risk from accidental overdoses from cannabis products. There was also concern regarding the potential harms from cannabis retailers (e.g. increase in youth access and exposure, clustering that crowds out other retail types) and allowing onsite consumption (e.g. employee exposure to smoke, public intoxication). p.12

5) Local informants also raised concern about the increasing influence of the cannabis industry, and their potential to roll back regulations (e.g. clean air laws), crowd out of small retailers, and create new products attractive to youth. There was also concern regarding widespread cannabis advertising campaigns and the targeting of youth and communities of color with marketing and misinformation. One youth organization representative noted: “I think about the impact of the tobacco industry, and how young people of color are the target of advertisements, having the product more readily available, and available in more acceptable manner”.p.12

6) Among local informants and youth focus group participants, there was near unanimous agreement for education and awareness of legalization and cannabis’s impacts. Participants specified that the education needs to explain what the health impacts of cannabis use are, especially on youth, and that this information needs to fact-based and not sensational. One informant noted that “We need to break myth the cannabis is harmless. Education doesn’t need to go reefer madness route. There is enough evidence to make solid case otherwise”. p.13

7) Many informants specified that there should be land-use restrictions for MCDs and retailers, including rules on: anti-clustering, anti-density, and sensitive site buffers (e.g. schools, youth serving facilities). p. 13

8) [Recommend] Strong regulation of cannabis edibles. The City should consider strong regulations for cannabis edibles and implement and enforce all state rules, including limiting the concentration of THC, requiring clear and simple instructions on how to safely consume, and prohibiting products that appeal to children (e.g. candy). Efforts to augment state rules, could include requiring all products should come in plain, sealed, and in re-sealable packaging with sufficient warnings. p. 18

Please sign our online petition