Medical marijuana laws in 50 states: Investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use, abuse and dependence
Magdalena Cerdá, Melanie Wallb, Katherine M. Keyesa, Sandro Galea, Deborah Hasin
Marijuana is the most frequently used illicit substance, and marijuana abuse and dependence are highly prevalent in the United States (American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Compton et al., 2007; Johnston et al., 2009, 2010; Office of Applied Studies, 2008). Chronic, regular use is associated with DSM-IV diagnoses of marijuana use disorders (Grant and Pickering, 1998). Such disorders are associated with marijuana withdrawal, unemployment, personality dysfunction, crime, respiratory problems and other psychiatric disorders
(Budney et al., 2004; Budney and Moore, 2002; Hall and Lynskey, 2009; Haney, 2005; Hasin et al., 2008; Pedersen and Skardhamar, 2010; Taylor et al., 2000).
