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Increase In Medical Marijuana Cards Issued In Arizona

Statistics from the Arizona Department of Health Services show more than 50,000 medical marijuana cards have been issued in the state since April 2011.

As of June 30, the number of active cardholders has seen a 9 percent increase since March. Khaleel Hussaini of the Department of Health Services said the number of cardholders has been increasing steadily over the past three years.

“One of the things that we have seen recently, if you were to compare, is less than 18, the pediatric population," said Hussaini. "And perhaps that’s because of the court rulings that we’ve had.”

Hussaini said the majority of medical marijuana treatments for the younger population is used for epileptic seizures.

Despite the increase in the number of young users, those under 18 make up less than half of a percent of the total number of cardholders.

Alejandra Guillen was in intern at KJZZ in 2014.