Dr. Levy also states that dispensaries “may legally advertise their services and often produce ads targeted at youth,” when in fact, Massachusetts dispensaries are prohibited from advertising so much as their pricing, let alone marketing fun products for kids. Furthermore, Dr. Levy states erroneously that “there is no safety or efficacy data at all in this age group,” when in fact multiple studies have examined the effects of marijuana on children, teenagers, and pregnant mothers.
A 2015 Dutch study published by the London School of Economics and Political Science, which looked at 54,000 grades from Maastricht University, did find that “the academic performance of students who are no longer legally permitted to buy cannabis increases substantially.” These gains were “larger for courses that require more numerical/mathematical skills.” However, these findings may be biased, because the study compared Dutch locals against foreign students.
Pro: Medical Marijuana Treats Drug-Resistant Epilepsy, Has Benefits for Childhood Autism and ADD
There may be instances where the positive aspects of Cannabis therapy outweigh the potential drawbacks for children and teenagers with severe medical conditions, such as epilepsy. For example, a 2013 study published in Epilepsy & Behavior began by stating the following:
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