Efforts to make certain drugs, including marijuana, more available and accessible to adults must not compromise the health and wellbeing of young people, who are uniquely vulnerable to the developmental, cognitive, emotional, and physical effects of marijuana and are already struggling with unprecedented mental health and substance-related challenges.
As state governments make changes to their marijuana laws and regulations, they should ensure that the regulatory environment around legalization makes protecting young people a priority.
Based on an extensive review of the marijuana, tobacco/nicotine, and alcohol research literatures, our report, Youth Protection Provisions Within Marijuana Liberalization Laws, outlines recommended provisions that can protect minors in the context of marijuana legalization.
Below are reports that outline for each state (that legalized marijuana for adult nonmedical use before October 2022) alignment and gaps between the youth protection provisions in their marijuana laws/regulations and these recommendations. These reports can be used to provide a state-specific snapshot of how each state is protecting youth in the context of marijuana legalization. They can help to identify specific gaps in a state’s marijuana laws/regulations that policymakers should prioritize filling to better ensure the protection of youth.
Each state report includes:
This brochure summarizes Alaska's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Alaska's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Arizona's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Arizona's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes California's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details California's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Colorado's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Colorado's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Connecticut's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Connecticut's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Illinois's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Illinois's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Maine's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Maine's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Massachusetts's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Massachusetts's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Michigan's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Michigan's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Montana's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Montana's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Nevada's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Nevada's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes New Jersey's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details New Jersey's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes New Mexico's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details New Mexico's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes New York's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details New York's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Oregon's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Oregon's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Rhode Island's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Rhode Island's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Vermont's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Vermont's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Virginia's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Virginia's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.
This brochure summarizes Washington's implementation of youth protection provisions. Print and fold for advocates!
This chart details Washington's youth protection provisions and includes citations to the specific laws and regulations.