Legalizing Weed's Effect on Teens

States that legalize recreational marijuana use may be sending a message to teens that pot is harmless, a new study suggests. Fewer teenagers in Washington and Colorado saw marijuana as risky to their health following approval of recreational use by voters in those states, researchers report. Washington also saw an increase in recreational pot use among 8th and 10th graders following legalization there. "With legalization, marijuana use became less stigmatized and adolescents were more likely to use it," said study author Magdalena Cerda.