East Hartford is surveying residents about potential harm to young people from vaping and marijuana use.
The youth services department and local prevention council will use results of the survey to guide communication and education aimed at local children and young adults (ages 12-18), according to a news release. The 52-question anonymous survey is open to residents and people who work in town ages 18 and older. Responses will be collected through April 14.
The survey seeks answers and views on:
- whether more local youths perceive marijuana to be safe;
- how often kids and young adults use cannabis, when they use it (during school?) and at what age they start;
- whether pot use in town will increase or decrease now that it’s legal in the state;
- whether young people who use cannabis “are more academically disengaged” than non-users;
- whether marijuana is a gateway drug.
Legal sales of recreational marijuana to people age 21 and older in Connecticut started on Jan. 10. But some retailers have flouted the law, according to Attorney General William Tong, who announced last month he was suing five state retailers for targeting illegal sale of edible cannabis products to young people.
There are no recreational marijuana retail outlets in East Hartford. Leaders in other communities have worked to block local cannabis sales and prohibit use in some areas. In Fairfield, the local prevention council worked to install community watch signs at entrances to a local park after residents reported finding marijuana and vaping products scattered around the open space.
Minority Republicans in the state legislature have called for “better guardrails” around marijuana sales to protect children. Proposals include banning any form of THC, the active psychotropic ingredient in cannabis, from being sold at gas stations; requiring the state Department of Consumer Protection to review distribution procedures and declare second-hand cannabis smoke toxic to human health; establishing a limit on the amount of THC, per dose, in products; and banning cannabis use in places where drinking alcohol is prohibited. Republicans also have proposed legislation that would require young drivers to take a course on the effects of marijuana consumption.
Marijuana use may harm young brains, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Negative effects include difficulty thinking and problem-solving, problems with memory and learning and reduced coordination. Also, marijuana use has been linked to depression, social anxiety and other mental health problems, according to the agency, and the association between marijuana and schizophrenia is stronger in people who start using marijuana at an earlier age and use marijuana more frequently.
In 2021, an estimated 284,500, or 12.1 percent of Connecticut adults and 17,000, or 11.1 percent of high school-age residents reported using cannabis during the last 30 days, according to the state Department of Public Health.
