The public health impact of marijuana legalization remains a controversial issue. Advocates of legalization contend that this policy change will provide for more stringent regulation and safer use of marijuana, more efficient use of law enforcement resources, and possibly even a decline in the prevalence of marijuana use among adolescents and of the use of “harder” drugs (e.g., cocaine and heroin) (2, 3). Those opposing legalization cite the adverse effects of marijuana and worry that legalization will lead to an increase in use, and thus an increase in health problems attributed to marijuana. The latter view is reflected in the official position statements of prominent professional medical associations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the American Medical Association, which have expressed concern regarding the negative consequences of marijuana use. We review the potential impact of marijuana's legalization on public health as well as conditions for which marijuana or its constituents may be a legitimate treatment option.
