Cannabis is a substance containing the chemical compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (i.e., THC), which exists in multiple forms commonly known as hashish, marijuana, and blunts. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), cannabis intoxication is typically associated with symptoms such as euphoria, sedation, lethargy, impaired judgment, distorted sensory perceptions, and impaired motor performance. Cannabis is the most widely used illicit psychoactive substance in the United States, and prevalence rates are high, particularly among adolescents. In 2006, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 6.7% of 12- to 17-year-olds used cannabis within the past month.

Due to the growing literature demonstrating significant social, medical, and psychological consequences of cannabis use disorders among adolescents, the Center for Substance Abuse ...