Medical Marijuana and Crime: Substance Use and Criminal Behaviors in a Sample of Arrestees

After decades of prohibition, laws allowing marijuana use for medical and, in some cases, recreational purposes have been enacted across the country. To date, however, little is known about medical marijuana use, particularly regarding its relationship to criminal offending and use by nonauthorized persons. The current study bridges this gap by examining offending patterns in a sample of recent arrestees in Maricopa County, Arizona, identified and interviewed through the Arizona Arrestee Reporting Information Network (AARIN) project. Findings suggest that medical users had a higher probability for committing Driving Under the Influendce (DUI) and drug selling/making than nonusers, and diverted medical marijuana users had a higher probability for involvement in property crime, violent crime, DUI, and drug selling/making than nonusers. The results have important implications for developing marijuana decriminalization policies, criminal justice, and criminological theory. Directions for future research are discussed.

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Verdicts on Medical Marijuana Use

Science News ◽

10.2307/4018502 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 151 (20) ◽

pp. 299

Author(s):

Anthony M. Castaldo ◽

Sandy Shaw ◽

Paul Hewitt ◽

Lyle D. Courtsal

Keyword(s):

Medical Marijuana ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Medical Marijuana Use

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Nonmedical versus medical marijuana use among three age groups of adults: Associations with mental and physical health status

American Journal on Addictions ◽

10.1111/ajad.12598 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (7) ◽

pp. 697-706 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Namkee G. Choi ◽

Diana M. DiNitto ◽

Carl Nathan Marti

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Physical Health ◽

Age Groups ◽

Medical Marijuana ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Physical Health Status ◽

Medical Marijuana Use ◽

Mental And Physical Health

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Medical Marijuana Use Among Adolescents in Substance Abuse Treatment

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.jaac.2012.04.004 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 51 (7) ◽

pp. 694-702 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Stacy Salomonsen-Sautel ◽

Joseph T. Sakai ◽

Christian Thurstone ◽

Robin Corley ◽

Christian Hopfer

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Substance Abuse Treatment ◽

Medical Marijuana ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Abuse Treatment ◽

Medical Marijuana Use

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Marijuana Use and Breastfeeding

Clinical Lactation ◽

10.1891/215805312807022950 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 101-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carrie W. Miller

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Motor Development ◽

District Of Columbia ◽

Medical Marijuana ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

The United States ◽

Breastfed Infants ◽

Feeding Difficulty ◽

Medical Marijuana Use

Marijuana is one of the most widely used recreational substances in the United States, with high rates of use during peak childbearing years. Medical marijuana use is also becoming more widely accepted in the United States, with legalization in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The available literature suggests that maternal marijuana use during breastfeeding is associated with potentially negative outcomes for infants and children. Adverse effects can include feeding difficulty, lethargy, and delayed cognitive and motor development. Mothers considered heavy or chronic users of marijuana are advised to not breastfeed infants. The aim of this article is to examine the prevalence of marijuana use, the potential effects on breastfed infants, and current recommendations from lactation experts.

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Long-Term Medical Marijuana Use and Anxiety

UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal ◽

10.5070/m472027443 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Sweta Patel

Keyword(s):

Medical Marijuana ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Medical Marijuana Use

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Documentation of medical marijuana use in cancer patients

Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/1078155219883912 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 1117-1127 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jessica N LeClair ◽

Kevin W Chamberlin ◽

Jessica Clement ◽

Lisa M Holle

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Chart Review ◽

Medical Marijuana ◽

Retrospective Chart Review ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Medication List ◽

Post Test ◽

Medical Marijuana Use

Purpose Medical marijuana is often used as adjuvant therapy in cancer patients for symptom management, although limited evidence-based studies evaluating its efficacy or safety exist. Similar to over-the-counter medications, supplements, or herbal products, documentation of medical marijuana is important to monitor efficacy, potential adverse effects, or interactions. The objective of this quality improvement study was to improve the consistency of medical marijuana documentation in cancer patients by assessing current practices; educating healthcare team members about the importance of documentation and newly established documentation process; and evaluating the new documentation process. Methods This three-part quality improvement study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. In part I, a voluntary survey was sent via email to Cancer Center healthcare personnel to assess the current documentation process of medical marijuana. In part II, a best practice process for documenting medical marijuana in the electronic medical record was established. Medical marijuana was to be listed as a historical medication in the medication list. In-person and electronic education sessions were offered to Cancer Center clinical staff. The education emphasized the importance of documenting medical marijuana use and provided a detailed process for electronic medical record documentation. A pre- and post-test to assess understanding was also included. Part III was a retrospective chart review to evaluate documentation practices of certified medical marijuana users in the Cancer Center. Patients included in the study were greater than 18 years old and certified for medical marijuana use on or after 1 January 2018. Department of Corrections patients were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results The survey results in part I demonstrated a lack of consistency in the documentation of medical marijuana in the Cancer Center. The pre- and post-test scores measured in part II showed a significant improvement in understanding after education was provided. The average pre-test score was a 61 and post-test score was 88, indicating an average increase of 27 points. A larger increase in test scores was observed in those attending the in-person education than the online sessions ( p < 0.002). The results of the retrospective chart review in part III revealed 56 patients who met inclusion criteria, but only 39 patients were alive and evaluated at the time of the retrospective chart review. Of the 39 patients, 22 never completed the patient registration process and therefore, would never have been able to obtain medical marijuana. Seven patients had medical marijuana properly documented in their medication list and 10 patients were missing documentation in the medication list, showing room for improvement in documentation practices. Conclusions This quality improvement study led to the implementation of medical marijuana documentation in the medication list. Education increased healthcare team members understanding of medical marijuana utilization and the importance of documentation.

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