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.