According to some doctors, the legal age to buy recreational marijuana should be moved all the way to 25.
In an opinion piece in the New York Times, which was covered by the Washington Post, some healthcare professionals believe that marijuana can have a negative impact on a young adult’s development and sometimes make mental health issues worse.
“The use of cannabis may exacerbate underlying mental health disorders,” said Erica Liebelt, a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Seattle, Washington.
“There is also great evidence showing early use of cannabis in the adolescent time period can have effect on the developing brain.”
“Horrible things are happening to kids,” remarked psychiatrist Libby Stuyt, who treats teens in southwestern Colorado. “I see increased problems with psychosis, with addiction, with suicide, with depression and anxiety.”
