Marijuana: A Continuing Concern for Pediatricians
1. Marijuana use continues to be widespread among adolescents. 2. The seriousness of the behavioral consequences of marijuana use is sufficient to cause great concern and prompt the pediatrician to counsel young people against any use of the drug. Such counsel should be based on health concerns, including the relationship of marijuana use to both trauma associated with intoxication and the impact on memory and learning. Additional reasons for concern, and hence counsel, include anxieties and uncertainties regarding the potential harm that marijuana use may cause to adolescents undergoing hormonal development, possible teratogenicity, and the known consequences of chronic use. 3. A psychosocial and medical assessment for drug use, including use of marijuana, should be a routine part of health maintenance for every young person. Performing such assessments gives the pediatrician the opportunity to offer anticipatory guidance prior to the onset of drug use behavior, to intervene and minimize consequences if drug use has been initiated, and to detect and address issues of chronic or heavy use.