Burbank Addiction Treatment Centers

Although marijuana is legal across the state of California—where Burbank lies—this drug is still dangerous and can cause serious long-term harm.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that in Los Angeles County 11.1% of survey respondents ages 12 and older had abused marijuana at least once. While this is below the state average of 12.5%, it is above the national average of 10.7%.¹

It is illegal to possess marijuana at schools and to use it while driving, but it is legal to possess the drug, which could put adolescents at risk.² The availability of a drug in a household increases the chances that other members will abuse the substance, and every year in the U.S., 11 million young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 abuse marijuana.³

Adolescent marijuana abuse can create many potential physical and mental problems and puts a teenager at increased risk of struggling with substance abuse for the rest of their lives. This naturally occurring substance is a psychedelic drug that can create a feeling of calm, but then may also change the perception of time and the senses, cause mood swings, and even lower IQ. A New Zealand study found that people who abused marijuana long-term lost an average of 8 IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38.³

Marijuana may be legal in some places, but like alcohol and nicotine, it is still addictive and can be harmful when abused. Evidence-based treatment is often needed to overcome this addiction; a reputable rehab center can provide this much-needed help.

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). (2012). Substance Use and Mental Disorders in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana MSA.
2. Ballotpedia. (2016). California Proposition 64, Marijuana Legalization.
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2018). Marijuana: What Is Marijuana?