Commentary: Navigating the complexities of marijuana

Science needs to drive our thinking as we navigate a new legislative environment in which many Americans have access to marijuana for therapeutic or recreational use. With the responsibility to fund, conduct, and make use of the research on marijuana, and understand the impacts of new policies, comes the obligation of not thinking in simplistic, black-and-white terms about this substance. The drug's unique harms include neurodevelopmental impacts that may be long lasting or permanent, yet some evidence suggests the drug may benefit people with certain medical conditions (e.g., chronic pain). Marijuana use is also entangled with other substance use and should not be considered in isolation. Finally, policy options are not limited to the extremes of prohibition vs. full commercialization; a spectrum of intermediate options can and should be considered and evaluated as states create new policies around this drug.