At AALM, we advocate for the health and safety of future generations. Today, we are facing a crisis hidden behind a cloud of smoke: the widespread normalization of marijuana is putting our children at risk—from the womb to adulthood.

Prenatal Exposure: Harm Begins Before Birth

When a pregnant woman uses marijuana, THC—the psychoactive chemical in cannabis—crosses the placenta and directly affects the developing baby’s brain. Research shows:

Childhood and Adolescence: A Brain Under Attack

THC affects the developing brain, and the damage is most severe when use begins in childhood or adolescence. The risks include:

  • IQ loss and decreased memory

  • Impaired learning and attention span

  • Increased likelihood of developing anxiety, depression, and psychotic disorders

  • Double the risk of becoming addicted to marijuana or other drugs

Marijuana is now the most commonly used illicit drug among teens, often seen as “harmless”—even though science says otherwise.

High-Potency THC: Today’s Marijuana Is More Dangerous

Modern marijuana is not the same as what parents might remember. THC levels today are four to ten times stronger than in the 1990s. This ultra-potent cannabis increases the risk of:

  • Paranoia, hallucinations, and psychotic breaks

  • Increased ER visits and psychiatric hospitalizations

  • Higher rates of violent behavior and suicide attempts among teens

Academic and Social Consequences

Children and teens who use marijuana are:

  • More likely to drop out of school

  • Less likely to graduate from college

  • More likely to suffer from decreased motivation and social isolation

  • At greater risk of unemployment and poverty as adults

Long-Term Addiction and Adult Consequences

Marijuana is addictive—1 in 6 teens who use it will become addicted, and many will carry the consequences into adulthood:

  • Mental illness and substance use disorder

  • Difficulty holding jobs or maintaining healthy relationships

  • Increased risk of homelessness, criminal behavior, and early death

Marijuana and Child Deaths from Neglect & Abuse

Marijuana is the #1 drug linked to child deaths from neglect and abuse.

  • In Texas (2017), marijuana was the most common substance found in child abuse/neglect fatalities involving drugs or alcohol, according to Every Brain Matters | Texas Tribune | Florida Coalition.

  • Parents Opposed to Pot documented over 300 child deaths tied to THC from 2012–2023—more than alcohol, cocaine, or meth, as detailed in the POPPOT Report.

  • THC-impaired caregivers have left children unattended in cars, caused fatal injuries during psychotic episodes, or failed to supervise due to marijuana use (Imprint News | POPPOT Case Files).

  • Child welfare agencies often hesitate to intervene despite parents openly using marijuana around infants (New Yorker).

  • Marijuana use by parents is frequently underreported unless clear harm occurs, as confirmed by Reddit CPS workers and Every Brain Matters.

  • Research links parental marijuana use to increased risk of physical abuse and neglect (NIH Study).

  • Some states now treat marijuana like alcohol in family courts, recognizing risks to children.

  • In Texas, marijuana was involved in 50% of child maltreatment deaths (Every Brain Matters | Texas Tribune).

  • In New Mexico, many parents of substance-exposed newborns declined treatment, even when babies were at risk (AP News).

AALM’s Warning to America

From womb to adulthood, marijuana harms children at every stage. It is not harmless. It is not medicine for kids. It is a drug that threatens their future.

We urge parents, educators, health professionals, and lawmakers to reject the myth that marijuana is safe and join us in demanding responsible public policy.