The latest Mesa County Health Department special report , Marijuana in Mesa County , explores marijuana usage in Mesa County. Although the perception among high schoolers is that they won’t get caught using marijuana , Mesa County has a higher rate of juvenile marijuana arrests compared to the rest of the state.
About four in 10 local high school students have used marijuana in their lifetime. Mesa County high school students are also more likely to have used marijuana before age 13 than teens in the rest of the state. More than half of high school students said it would be sort of/very easy to get marijuana if they wanted.
It’s important for parents to have conversations with their children about the effects of marijuana usage and Colorado law regarding the drug.
- Amendment 64 legalized recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and older.
- Marijuana affects brain development. It can reduce thinking , memory and learning functions. It also affects how the brain builds those connections.
- The age restriction for marijuana , like the age restriction for alcohol , is 21 for a reason – your brain is still developing and these drugs could affect that development.
The report also has information on methods of use and adult usage.
Visit health.mesacounty.us to view and download the special report.
