Cannabis

Cannabis use is a growing concern for Texas youth. Today’s products are stronger, easier to find, and often packaged to look harmless. Early use can affect brain development, memory, and health—and increase the risk for mental health challenges later in life. But with awareness and prevention, we can keep kids safe and healthy.

A variety of intoxicating cannabis products available in Texas

From gummies to vapes, cannabis products are popping up in more places than ever.

13.6

is the average age
Texas kids first try cannabis

13%

of 7th—12th graders in Texas
have tried cannabis

1 in 13

Texas students have used
cannabis in the past month

19%

of Texas 7th—12th graders
say cannabis is easy to get

We basically sell the whole darn alphabet.

— Smoke Shop Retailer

Access

Cannabis products in Texas stores that look like kid-friendly snacks.

Cannabis products are everywhere.

Cannabis products are becoming easier for kids to find and harder for parents to monitor. Packaged to look like youth-appealing candies and snacks, these products can mislead youth and increase the risk of harm.

Our Approach

We work to keep cannabis out of kids’ hands by supporting strong, research-based public health policies, including:

  • Prohibiting stores from selling any form of cannabis near schools

  • Banning cannabis products and ads that appeal to youth

  • Requiring products to be tested by trusted, independent labs

  • Enforcing quick, consistent penalties when retailers break the law

  • Providing resources to enforce laws and remove illegal products from shelves

Access Resources

Cannabis Products in Texas

See what kind of products
are available in Texas

Get the One-Pager
Illicit Products in Texas

Read Dr. Rossheim’s report about
illicit products in Texas

Get the Report
Cannabis Community Monitoring Tool

Help us monitor cannabis
products in Texas

Get the Instructions
Training Session

Need support? TxSDY offers info
and training to help protect kids.

Request a Training

Expert researchers have been studying the growing number of products available on the market. Hear from Dr. Matthew Rossheim about their availability in Texas, and how he and his team have proposed a new term to classify these products.

TxSDY has been gathering photos of cannabis products statewide, showing how prolific they are in local communities.
You can help by snapping pictures in your area and sharing them through our Cannabis Community Monitoring Tool!

Share What You See
Request a Training

Health Impacts

Potent products, serious consequences.

Misconceptions about cannabis can make it seem safer than it is, especially for young people. In reality, today’s products are stronger than ever, and using them can affect teens’ memory, focus, and mental health.

Learn about the effects of cannabis on the teenage brain.

Our Approach

We raise awareness in communities about the risks of cannabis, such as:

  • Mental health problems like schizophrenia, psychosis, paranoia, anxiety, and depression

  • Cannabis use disorder

  • Cognitive impairment that affects memory, attention, and decision making

  • Cardiovascular risks, including increased heart rate and potential for heart attacks

  • Respiratory disorders like bronchitis and lung infections (especially from smoking or vaping)

  • Social and behavioral problems that affect relationships, employment, school performance

Health Impacts Resources

Youth Cannabis Use

Learn more about youth
cannabis use in Texas

Get the Handout
Surgeon General's Advisory

Surgeon General’s Advisory
on marijuana’s and the brain

Get the Advisory
Impacts of Cannabis

Read more about the
health impacts of cannabis

Visit the SAMHSA Website

Need support? TxSDY offers info
and training to help protect kids.

Request a Training
Request a Training

Impaired Driving

Cannabis and driving don’t mix.

Many people don’t realize that marijuana affects coordination, reaction time, and judgment — all critical for safe driving. In Texas, alcohol and cannabis are the most common combination of drugs involved in crashes that cause serious injuries and deaths.

A segment on Inside Edition looked at how dangerous it is to drive while high.

Our Approach

We tackle marijuana-impaired driving from multiple angles, including:

  • Raising awareness about the risks of driving under the influence of cannabis

  • Educating youth and adults on how cannabis affects coordination, judgment, and reaction time

  • Supporting strong laws and enforcement to prevent impaired driving

  • Providing tools and resources for communities on prevention strategies that keep roads safe

  • Partnering with schools, law enforcement, and community groups to reduce crashes and save lives

Impaired Driving Resources

Cannabis Use and Traffic Safety

Learn more about cannabis
and impaired driving

Get the One-Pager
NHTSA Report on Marijuana Research

Read NHTSA’s latest report
on cannabis research

Read the Report
SAM's Research on Marijuana and Impaired Driving

Learn more about cannabis
impaired driving from SAM

Get the Resource

Need support? TxSDY offers info
and training to help protect kids.

Request a Training
Request a Training

What You Can Do

Your kids are listening more than you think. Talk early and talk often—the sooner you talk about alcohol, the safer your child will be.

Upcoming Events

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P.O. Box 40365
Austin, TX 78704
512.442.7501

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