Many Americans Support Medical Marijuana, But Not For Children

First Posted: Apr 20, 2015 11:26 PM EDT
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Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System agreed that close to two-thirds of people believe that their state should allow medical marijuana for adults, but just about half that number feels it should be available for children.

"We found that while most people support state laws that permit medical marijuana use among adults, the story is dramatically different for children. Medical marijuana is a controversial subject when we're talking about kids," researcher Matthew M. Davis said in a statement.

Researchers said that "not only is the public concerned about the use of medical marijuana among children, but that the majority of Americans worry that even exposure to it may be harmful to kids' health. As is typical with anything involving health, the public's standards are much higher when it comes to protecting children's health."

The study results were based on data from a Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health that included a national sample of adults in the United States.

Eighty percent of respondents said they also believed adults shouldn't be allowed to use medical marijuana in front of children as it would be setting a bad example.

These findings come just as some new bills are being proposed in congress that the federal government reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance that can be dispensed legally.

Previous research has suggested that some medical conditions could benefit from medical marijuana. For a complete list of illnesses that could potentially be treated by it, click here.

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