Additional Resources

The information presented in this section contains links to additional resources and information about marijuana and public health.

National Surveys That Collect Information About Marijuana Use

CDC-Sponsored Surveys

• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) [PDF - 535 KB]
  World’s largest, continuously conducted telephone survey that tracks health behaviors, chronic diseases, and preventive health practices among noninstitutionalized adults in the United States. Beginning in 2016, an optional module on marijuana became available for states to use. Data from the 2016 module will be available in the summer of 2017.
• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
  Monitors six categories of priority health risk behaviors among high school youth at the national, state, and local levels. This biennial survey collects data on marijuana use.
• Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
  Collects state-specific, population-based data on attitudes and experiences among women 2 to 6 months after having a live birth. Standard questions will allow states to collect information on marijuana use before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.
• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
  Assesses the health and nutritional status of adults and children, aged 12 years and older, in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews and physical examinations. Voluntary drug use questions ask about ever use of marijuana, age of first use, age when starting to use marijuana regularly, amount used, frequency of use, and time since last use. These data are available from the 2005-2007 survey period onward.

Other National Surveys

• National Survey on Drug Use and Health (formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)
  In-home survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that gathers information on mental health and substance abuse, from noninstitutionalized respondents aged 12 years and older. Collects data on the use of marijuana and symptoms of substance abuse or addictions.
• Monitoring the Future Survey
  Ongoing and long-term system, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that collects data on the behaviors, attitudes, and values regarding substance use of American teens, college students, and adults. Each year a total of approximately 50,000 students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades are surveyed about substance use, including marijuana, and a subset are sent follow-up questionnaires through age 45 years.

National Programs That Collect Information about Marijuana Policies

Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS)
A policy monitoring system sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) that provides detailed information on a wide variety of alcohol-related policies in the United States at both state and federal levels. The system was expanded in 2016 to include policies related to legalizing the cultivation, sale, or use of cannabis for other than medical purposes, together with policies imposing various prohibitions and restrictions on such practices.

Federal and International Agencies and Organizations

• Drug Enforcement Agency
• Department of Justice
• Food and Drug Administration
• National Institute on Drug Abuse
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• World Health Organization

Professional and Nonprofit Organizations

• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

Marijuana Resources for Parents

• National Institute on Drug Abuse marijuana site
• Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
• Marijuana's Lasting Effects on the Brain
• Preventing Drug Abuse Among Children & Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders [PDF 707KB]
• The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
• Marijuana Talk Kit
• Facts for Families: Marijuana and Teens