|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are
solely
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
Have you talked to your teen about marijuana?
By Melissa Martin, Ph.D.
Is America becoming a pothead nation? Pot logic is taking over the
brains of the misguided. Because medical marijuana is legal in several
states does not justify the risks. Because recreational marijuana is
legal in several states, the imprudent crowd argues that it’s benign.
Common sense has gone up in a puff of smoke. And teenagers are
listening in.
Cannabis products contain the mind-altering chemical
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). They can also contain 400 other
chemicals. Hmmm. Today’s weed is more potent than yesterday’s weed. How
can inhaling 400 chemicals into your lungs be healthy? Only time and
more studies will determine whether long-term smoking of marijuana
causes lung cancer. Tobacco, move over.
What will you tell your teen when he/she makes an illogical case for the weed seed?
According to a 2019 article by the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, teenage marijuana use is at its highest level in
30 years, and today’s teens are more likely to use marijuana than
tobacco.
“But it’s not addictive,” whine the clueless. Contrary to popular
belief, marijuana is addictive. Research shows that 1-in-6 people who
start using the drug before the age of 18 can become addicted and
1-in-10 adults who use the drug can become addicted, according to the
U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
website.
“But it’s legal, so it must okay.” Legal does not mean safe. SAMHSA
says, “Using marijuana can affect performance and how well people do in
life. Research shows that people who use marijuana are more likely to
have relationship problems, worse educational outcomes, lower career
achievement, and reduced life satisfaction.” Well, put that in your
pipe and smoke it.
“But it’s natural.” So is poison ivy, but I don’t see users huffing and
puffing the leaves of three and celebrating the itchy vine.
“But it calms me down, so what’s the harm?” A 2014 study in the Journal
of Neuroscience found changes in parts of the brain associated with
reward and addiction, even among users who were not judged to be drug
dependent. Marijuana has negative effects on attention, motivation,
memory, and learning.
What is its effect on the mind? When marijuana is smoked, the THC
passes from the lungs and into the bloodstream, which carries the
chemical to the organs throughout the body, including the brain. In the
brain, the THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors
on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Read more at
www.dea.gov.
“Ohio’s medical marijuana program is unique from other states’ medical
marijuana programs. Smoking marijuana is prohibited. Those who use
medical marijuana in Ohio can only use an oil, tincture, capsule,
edibles, plant material, patches, lotions, ointments, creams, or a
vaping device. Ohio also has restrictions on advertising marijuana
services, and there are limits on how the potency of marijuana patients
can carry.” Read more at www.preventionactionalliance.org.
No buzz from bongs. So, who really believes the users of medical marijuana in Ohio are not smoking it?
As a former alcohol and drug counselor, I witnessed the crash and burn
of many weed-smoking teens. Motivation ended up in the toilet of “I
just don’t care about school or grades or rules.” Purpose and passion
centered around buying and smoking potent pot from the powerful plant.
Street names include: Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Chronic, Dope, Gangster,
Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Joint, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer,
Sinsemilla, Skunk, Smoke, Weed, Yerba.
With legalization and use of weed in pop culture and new ways of using
(edibles, vaporizers, concentrates), it’s becoming even more important
for parents to consistently converse with teens.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), as part of the National
Institutes of Health, offers an extensive collection of publications,
education materials, and videos to help parents talk to their children
about drug use. www.drugabuse.gov.
With the legalization of medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, have adults sent the wrong message to teens?
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and
therapist. She lives in Ohio. Contact her at
melissamcolumnist@gmail.com.
|
|
|
|
