Doctor on Cannabis Advisory Board concerned about normalized teenage use

BOSTON — The newly appointed Cannabis Advisory Board is working to implement recreational marijuana regulations by next summer.

One of the members of the board is Dr. Sharon Levy, an outspoken critic of recreational marijuana.

“I've had an up close and personal look,” she said.

Levy is a specialist in development medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and the director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program. She works to treat adolescents with substance abuse problems.

Attorney General Maura Healey appointed her to the Cannabis Advisory Board, which is comprised of local experts from a variety of fields who will help shape and regulate the industry.

MORE: Pot for tots? Parents turn to medical marijuana for child's treatment

Dr. Levy concerned that legalization will normalize marijuana use for youth. Through her work at Boston Children’s, she said she's seen true health side effects from continued marijuana use during the teenage years.

“Mental health problems - a lot of kids reporting anxiety symptoms, lots of kids who struggle with paranoia,” she said.

Dr. Levy believes legalization will create a need for more youth treatment programs, and she'd like to see more pediatricians offering drug counseling, like the pilot program at Wareham Pediatrics.

“One of the biggest concerns is there's not a lot of infrastructure for helping these kids,” said Levy.

As cannabis shops begin opening, Levy said parents are going to have to be prepared to address it with their kids. She said whenever children start asking about marijuana, it’s time to have the conversation.

MORE: New marijuana growing culture predicted to explode in Massachusetts

“I think there are a lot of questions and challenges as we start to implement this big, big policy change,” she told Boston 25 News.

Other members of the Cannabis Advisory Board include Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Springfield Henry Thomas, III and White Lion Brewing Company Founder Ray Berry.

Cox Media Group