As marijuana legalization continues its spread across our nation, we’re facing increasing challenges in our mission to protect children and young adults from the harmful effects of cannabis exposure. The past two weeks’ developments bring both concerning trends and critical opportunities for advocacy.
One Chance Update Specific To Colorado Legislative Session:
As you know, Colorado is often the leader in THC policy change and often sets the way for the rest of the country. We wanted to bring you this brief update on 2 Colorado pieces of legislation:
HB25-1209: One Chance and a large coalition are opposed to a main provision in this bill that would double the amount of marijuana and marijuana products from 1 oz to 2 oz that could be sold during a daily single transaction. This will flood the illicit market with commercialized products – many of which will be resold to kids. If you live in Colorado, check your email for an easy to complete Action Alert to let your House Representative to let your voice be heard. Your voice matters!!!
SB25-076: Regrettably, this bill was postponed indefinitely by the Senate Business, Labor and Technology committee. A large coalition supported the bill and due to Colorado’s budget constraints the bill will not move forward this session. One Chance would like to thank Senators Judy Amabile, Byron Pelton and Representatives Kyle Brown and Anthony Hartsook for their leadership to promote reasonable regulations to best protect the developing brain of Colorado’s youth and young people. Please support these amazing elected officials by dropping a note (emails linked above) thanking them for their leadership. They are resolved in continuing to work on important safeguards going forward and will appreciate hearing from you. Your voice matters!
⚠️ What We’re Up Against
Targeting Children Through Advertising: A disturbing new study confirms that marijuana advertisements are effectively enticing children to try cannabis. Despite federal restrictions, cannabis businesses are exploiting social media platforms to reach young people, significantly increasing their likelihood of marijuana use.“Youth are bypassing age restrictions and seeing the ads for products they’re not legally allowed to buy. They can like, comment and share those posts with their friends,” said Alisa Padon, research director for the Prevention Policy Group in Berkley, California. This predatory marketing demands immediate regulatory intervention to protect our youth.
Read the article here:
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/02/12/health/marijuana-ads-child-danger-wellness
Vape Product Recall: Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency has announced a voluntary recall of BLOOM vape cartridges containing Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil, a substance known to cause lipid pneumonia, a serious lung condition. While we commend this proactive safety measure, it highlights the broader issue of inadequate product testing and regulation throughout the cannabis industry. Children and young adults remain particularly vulnerable to these potentially harmful substances, underscoring the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks.
Read about the recall here:
https://www.michigan.gov/lara/news-releases/2025/02/11/cannabis-regulatory-agency-announces-voluntary-vape-recall-bloom
🔬 Science Corner
Reassessing Cannabis Risks: The recent release of new studies continue to confirm the severe health consequences of cannabis use, including significantly increased risks of psychiatric disorders, depression, suicidality, and psychosis. Particularly troubling is the dose-response relationship where higher-frequency and higher-potency cannabis usage exacerbates behavioral health issues. With hospitalizations for cannabis use disorder skyrocketing post-legalization, these findings directly contradict the narrative that marijuana is a relatively harmless substance. Laura Bierut, M.D. writes, “The facts are clear: cannabis is addictive, its use is on the rise, and those affected by cannabis use disorder face a heightened risk of premature death. It is time to confront this public health crisis head-on.”
Read the article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-outlook/202502/calls-to-reassess-cannabis-risks-new-research-reported
Cannabis-Induced Cognitive Impairment: New research suggests evidence that exposure to THC can have lasting effects on the brain’s cognitive functions into adulthood. The 3-year study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, underscores our longstanding concerns about marijuana’s gateway potential and the critical importance of protecting developing brains during adolescence.
Read the article here:
https://www.psypost.org/adolescent-cannabis-use-may-heighten-sensitivity-to-amphetamines-cognitive-effects-in-adulthood
🚫 Myth Busters
Debunking Addiction Misconceptions: A recent article tackles five common false beliefs about drug use and addiction. The five beliefs are 1) “Drug experimentation is normal for teens and shouldn’t alarm parents” 2) “Addiction is a personal weakness” 3) “People must hit ‘rock bottom’ to recover from addiction” 4) “Addiction treatment never works” and 5) “Overdoses of drugs don’t cause brain damage.” Experts Harvard’s Sharon Levy, MD, MPH, and founding National Institute of Drug Abuse Director Robert DuPont, MD, advocate for a zero-tolerance approach to youth substance use, emphasizing how early intervention can prevent devastating consequences. The article effectively counters dangerous narratives that downplay addiction risks, reinforcing our message about protecting young people through awareness, prevention, and supportive policies.
Read the article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-outlook/202502/5-common-false-beliefs-about-drug-use-users-and-addiction
👥 Parent to Parent
Reconsidering Marijuana Legalization: An editorial in a conservative New York magazine argues that most of the promised benefits of marijuana legalization—reduced crime, tax revenue generation, and product safety—have failed to materialize. Instead, we’ve seen significant increases in cannabis use, addiction, and mental health issues, particularly among young adults. The data shows concerning trends in teen use and normalization of cannabis among vulnerable populations, alongside dramatic increases in THC potency. And many state governments have actually helped subsidize what was perceived as a fledgling pot industry. “It’s not far-fetched to imagine future lawsuits from [some] communities against local governments for promoting the spread of legal weed,” the author argues. “The vision of legal marijuana that advocates promised has proved to be a dangerous illusion.”
Read the article here:
https://www.city-journal.org/article/pot-weed-legalization-health-hazards
Your commitment to protecting children from marijuana’s harmful effects has never been more important. Together, we can ensure that the health and safety of our youth remains the priority in all cannabis policy discussions.
