What is the most popular used drug amongst the youth of today? The answer - Marijuana. Not much different from previous generations, marijuana remains the drug of choice among 60% of the youth that use drugs.
In the 60’s when marijuana stood as an icon of the era, the drug was far less potent then it is today. Today, the youth buying marijuana on the streets can easily find them selves in possession of marijuana that has been laced with other more potent drugs. Yearly, 100,000 teens are treated for marijuana dependency and with that dependency comes withdrawal. Although withdrawal of marijuana dependency is not near as severe as many other drugs, there are still physically symptoms associated with it.
Marijuana has always been proven a gateway to harder drugs and should never be looked at as “just a phase” ones youth may be experiencing. Research has proven that the earlier teens start using marijuana the more likely they are to become dependent upon marijuana or other drugs later in life.
Although a small percentage may try marijuana out of curiosity and never use it again, others use it as an escape or to fit in amongst peers and develop a dependency to it. There are various reasons why a teen may start using from home life difficulties to simple curiosity. The key is to know your child at all levels so you can quickly determine if drugs have become a part of their life. By having an open communication line to where your child feels safe in coming to you if they have tried marijuana even out of curiosity can make the difference between a one time thing to a dependency that can lead to harder drugs.
Some of the signs teenagers exhibit when using marijuana are: dizziness and trouble walking, red bloodshot eyes, trouble remembering things that just happened, sleepy, and they often appear silly and giggly for no apparent reason. Some teens feel no effects from marijuana the first few times they smoke it. Others can sometimes experience bad effects from marijuana. They may become highly paranoid or have feelings of anxiety or dizziness (N.I.D.A.).
There are many mixed messages being sent out to the youth today about marijuana use. It is up to the guardians to make sure the correct message is being sent - marijuana is an illegal substance that affects teens in many harmful ways. The earlier you start discussing marijuana and other drugs with your children, being open and honest with them, and letting them know you are available to them for discussion at anytime you automatically lower the statistics of your child becoming dependent upon any drug.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow today. We are here to help.
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I hate hearing 'It's just a phase' as much as 'All the kids are doing it'. Those are just lame excuses offered up to try and justify a growing problem. Sometimes I think phrases such as these are enough to entice kids into first time experimenting.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how they made marijuana more potent. I guess it really doesn't matter. I know that added substances to cigarettes to make them more addictive. Maybe it was something along the same lines. I guess it wasn't bad enough before.
ReplyDeleteMarijuana has been around for a long time. I wonder if the government really tried hard enough to get rid of it. Actually, I've read somewhere that a lot of people in government smoke it too and they don't consider it a drug. Nice lie they're telling themselves.
ReplyDeleteHow they heck do these kids find suppliers? I've been around a while and I would have no idea how to go about finding marijuana if I wanted to. I don't, and maybe thats why. I always felt like life was hard enough without adding drugs to the mix.
ReplyDeleteI used to be one of those who smoked pot and thought I was above the law. I was a pretty heavy user, more than recreational. Now that my head is clear, I look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking about. I have kids who saw me smoking. I only hope they were too young to remember.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that marijuana has been around for a long time and has always been considered a recreational drug makes it more acceptable to a lot of people. My brother was a pot head in his younger days. Thank God he grew up and stopped.
ReplyDeleteI smoke marijuana occasionally, usually when I'm at a party having a few drinks. I don't see why it's such a big deal. I'm 21, I should be able to make up my own mind about this.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad the lenghths that some kids will go to just to be part of the 'in crowd'. I wonder if there isn't something we could instill in them at an early age to allow them to see that being part of the inner circle doesn't have to be a necessary thing. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteSince I had never smoked pot myself, or been around anyone who had, I did not know what it smelled like. My son had me convinced that it was some incense he'd bought until a friend of mine was over to visit and smelled it. She told me what it was. I felt like such an idiot. I won't be fooled again.
ReplyDeleteOne of the guys I work with told me the other day that he buys marijuana for his 2 kids. He doesn't want them to get in trouble buying it. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Sounds like it a family tradition. I've smelled it on him before so I know he smokes it too. Go figure.
ReplyDelete