Marijuana is made of dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis indica plant. You might have heard marijuana called by other names, like "weed" or "pot"
People think that because marijuana is natural, it can't be bad for them. But marijuana has hundreds of chemicals in it that can affect your body in many ways.
How can marijuana affect the brain?
Marijuana changes how the brain works!
Short- Term Effects: 1.) Feel less coordinated and react more slowly 2.) Altered sense of time 3.) Anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic (when taken in high doses) 4.) Feeling hungry 5.) Fast heart rate
Long-Term Effects: 1.) Problems with memory and learning skills 2.) Problems with breathing 3.) Cough and lung sickness 4.) Severe nausea and vomiting
Did you know that using marijuana as as a teen can change how your brain grows? That's because your brain is still growing until you are 26 years old!
Can you become addicted to marijuana
Yes, you can! Over time, marijuana can change the way your brain works. If you stop using marijuana, your body can get confused and you can start to feel sick. This makes it hard to stop using marijuana. This is called addiction.
Anyone can become addicted to marijuana. It doesn't matter how smart you are or where you live. There is no way to predict who is likely to become addicted.
Is marijuana legal?
On March 31, 2021, New York State enacted the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) which legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults ages 21 and older. Marijuana use is NOT legal for teens in any state.
The Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA)
Under the MRTA, individuals 21 and older may legally possess and purchase up to 3 ounces of marijuana and, at their place of residence, are permitted to possess up to 5 pounds of marijuana.
The State is expected to take two years to fully implement the law, including a system to license marijuana retailers. The new law created the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to draft regulations for adult-use sales to begin.
The City can opt-out of allowing adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries or on-site consumption licenses from locating within the city. The City cannot opt-out of adult-use legalization. To opt-out of allowing adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries or on-site consumption premises, the City must pass a local law by December 31, 2021.
There is a state and local excise tax imposed on the sale of cannabis products by a retail dispensary to a cannabis consumer at 4% of the products’ price and 9% state tax. The 4% local excise tax is distributed to local governments based on where the retail dispensary is located. 25% of that tax revenue goes to the county and 75% goes to the city.
While the city can limit the time, place, and location of marijuana-related businesses, it cannot prohibit the possession or use of marijuana. Generally, marijuana may be consumed anywhere, but may not be smoked anywhere that smoking of tobacco is prohibited with certain exceptions.
If the City does not opt-out by December 31, 2021, the City will be unable to opt-out at a future date. The City may opt back in, to allow either, or both, adult-use retail dispensary or on-siteconsumption license types by repealing the local law.
In response to MRTA, the City of North Tonawanda Common Council and Mayor Arthur Pappas appointed a committee comprised of a diverse group of city residents, city officials and community leaders to help obtain an objective and fair assessment of the impacts of MRTA on the North Tonawanda community.
The North Tonawanda Way Forward Committee (NTWF) was tasked to address potential positive and negative impacts of MRTA and make a recommendation to the Common Council on whether it is in the best interest of North Tonawanda to remain opted in or opt-out of Marijuana dispensaries and on-site marijuana consumption locations/businesses within the City of North Tonawanda.
CHANT provided the committee with local and national data that highlighted the rise of marijuana use among youth and the potential effects that recreational marijuana use has on youth, adults, and the community.
The committee also worked together to develop a public survey that was distributed to the North Tonawanda community.
City of North Tonawanda Public Survey on MRTA Results
Click the file below to see the results of the public survey.
Sources: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NYS Office of Cannabis Management