It is clear from the last few years that the attitudes of Americans on the liberalization of marijuana law have changed dramatically in favor of a more permissive policy.  The real question looming about this  attitude adjustment is whether marijuana addiction will increase. The information and opinions on the issue are extremely polarized.

For purposes of obtained insight into the question, a number of social scientists look to the Netherlands for help.  There, the legalization of marijuana/pot did not, in and of itself, increase the rates of marijuana use.  Indeed, marijuana/pot use in the Netherlands is lower than in the United States.  When the number of Dutch “Coffee Shops” increased and the age limit was reduced to 16, however, use among young people increased dramatically.  When the number of these coffee shops were later reduced and the age limit raised to 18, there was a marked decline in adolescence use.  A hard lesson learned in the Netherlands is that young people seem to be more vulnerable to the excessive marijuana use than their older counterparts.