Another concern regarding adolescents and the legalization of marijuana is that of drug diversion, or that adolescents will have access to cannabis from adults with legal access to medical or recreational marijuana. In a cross-sectional survey (n = 80), almost half of adolescents participating in outpatient substance-abuse treatment in Colorado reported using diverted marijuana. Compared to those who had not used diverted medical marijuana, those who had were more likely to report easy availability of marijuana, >20 times of use per month in the past year, and minimal peer disapproval of regular use (58). Another study found a similarly high rate (74%) of adolescents engaged in substance-abuse treatment who reported having used diverted medical marijuana (59).
