Marijuana Is The Most Popular Illicit Drug Used Among Our Teenagers Essay

There has been an extensive amount of research done on risk factors and marijuana use. Among adolescents the vast majority of the research has identified five major risk factors associated with adolescent marijuana use, family relations (parent-child attachment), peer associations, substance abuse programs, gender, and race. Some researchers have found that the family is the best predictor of adolescent marijuana use, while others claim that peer associations are predictors of adolescent marijuana use. Others believe that substance abuse programs are the key to deterring adolescent drug use. The final groups of researchers believe gender and race are the underlining predictors. The following studies will give a quick overview of the prior research on risk factors and adolescent marijuana use.

Marijuana is perceived by some teens to be the only available alternative when experiencing difficult health problems when medical treatments have failed or when they lack access to appropriate health care. Teens claim Marijuana use can build their happiness during a depressive episode, calm their anxiety, restore their appetite after years of anorexia and even help them get some rest after fighting nights full tossing and turning. For some, medical options were not available in part because "nobody wanted to listen" to them. As a last resort, these teens had opted to try smoking marijuana. In a relatively short time, marijuana helped them to feel better about themselves, happier and more like the person they "wanted to be".“ It has and always will be the only thing that has helped me

Research has found that teenagers who used cigarettes were twelve times more likely to graduate to marijuana use. A similar study conducted by Denise Kandel (1992) revealed that use of marijuana affects dopamine levels in the brain in a similar way to nicotine. Cigarette smoking facilitates consumption of other substances. Smoking cigarettes initiate juveniles into the sensation of drug inhalation, which desensitizes them from the feeling of smoke clouding their lungs. This paper finds that marijuana pervades the life of a juvenile tobacco smoker. Teenagers who smoke cigarettes

Smoking of marijuana can cause the person to become addicted to cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. Heavy or daily use effects the parts that control memory, attention, and learning (Facts for Teens, 13). When teens are 12 and 13 they are more exposed to drugs and most likely don’t listen to their parents (Age in Stem., 1). Some other psychological side effects would be paranoia, anxiety, fatigue, Euphoria, and mood swings (Fact Sheet, 1). Studies have shown that when a person uses marijuana it causes the heart to beat faster and work harder (Fact Sheet, 2). When people have smoked large measures of marijuana for years, the drugs takes its charge on mental functions (Facts for Teens, 13).

In order to pay for drug use, teens engage in criminal behavior, motor vehicle theft, and breaking-and-entering offenses (University of Washington ADAI). Teen Marijuana users need money to pay for drug use, and in order to obtain money, teens engage in problematic behaviors. There are also legal aspects when selling, using, or possessing marijuana, involving fines, jail time, and possibly a criminal record (Teens Health 2). Teen marijuana users’ problematic behaviors involving the law can lead to consequences, sometimes with the potential to damage the teen’s future. Laws against growing, possessing, and selling marijuana exist in all states but Washington and Colorado (2). Over 7.2 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges since 1990, many of which were teenagers (NORML). Marijuana association damages the lives of many teens who get caught engaging in marijuana associated problematic behaviors. The problematic behaviors associated with teen marijuana use can potentially damage not only a teen’s future, but also society.

In this article, whether or not prenatal marijuana exposure (PME) contributes to marijuana use at age fourteen is studied. Over the years the use of marijuana and its effects on adolescents has increased. There have been attempts to prevent the use of marijuana among adolescents, but in order to prevent something you have to know the reason for the occurrence. “Among preteens and adolescents, PME predicted poorer performance on tests of memory, attention, and executive functioning” (Day, Goldschmidt & Thomas, 2006). In addition to PME, factors such as: child management practices,

Marijuana has its strongest long-term impact on young users whose brains are developing and maturing. Researchers see a decline in verbal ability as well as general knowledge in children between ages 9-12. (National Institute on Drug Abuse August

I am very concerned about the legalization of marijuana, since I am a parent of six children, whose ages range from nine to twenty-two. I have made it a point to educate my children on how smoking marijuana can affect their brain development. Just recently my youngest son, has told me that he has learned that middle school and high school kids have been eating marijuana in different forms of baked foods, such as brownies, chocolate truffles and rice crispies. The kids are over eating the marijuana treats because they don’t think it’s getting them “high”. The children are not realizing that it takes time for the body to absorb the THC. They then end up in the hospital for feeling ill because they have eating too much of the drug. The National Families in Action Campaign, reported that pot-related emergency admissions have tripled and expulsion rate has gone up 40% since the legalization of medical marijuana due to pot related incidents (5). Parents will need to be more aware of the potential risks and signs of THC posing due to the high levels of THC found in the marijuana that

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs in the Nation and the world. In an article by Gray (2007) he states that “42% of high school seniors have tried marijuana, 18% have used it in the past 30 days, and 5% use it daily. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 3.6% met criteria for cannabis use disorder (abuse or dependence) and 2% met criteria for cannabis dependence”. Gray (2007) also explains how easily adolescents say it is to obtain marijuana these days. The article also states that there is evidence to prove that marijuana use may lead to “hard” drug use, academic failure, and more. With those who use marijuana chronically it may lead to impairing of the immune

The article describes how years of U.S. government-prevented marijuana research has resulted in a deficiency of information pertaining to the pros and cons of marijuana use. It also discusses the marijuana legalization movement in America. The article has an excerpt of Scientist Yasmin Hurd and her tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, experiments involving rats. Also the article highlights the effects that marijuana use might have on human genetics and, specifically, on adolescent development. Some of the therapeutic aspects of marijuana are also described within this article.

One of the biggest issues since legalization of marijuana in Colorado is the effect it has on our youth and future generations. In a report posted regarding the cause and effect on teenagers using marijuana Krista Lisdahl, director of the Brain Imaging and Neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, talks about the changes in the THC levels from the seventies to now. She also talks about how through modern technology it is possible to physically see the difference in the brain when a teenager is

It seems every decade marijuana studies show that it has no side effects on users, in turn it become more available like when some states in America had legalized it. Dr Kevin M. Gray believes that the only side effect of smoking weed is the physical addictions it causes, he believes that over 51% of all teens have used weed at least once and the biggest problem we are facing with this rapidly growing drug use is only addiction. Dr Marshall M. Gay believes that the health effects of weed isn’t that much as smoking cigarettes and doesn’t see it a threat to people’s health. “More than half (51%) of adolescents reported that marijuana is fairly or very easy to obtain.2 this ease of availability may have contributed to a recently reported "reverse gateway" from cigarettes use to marijuana”. The more ignored belief is that marijuana can lead to a variety of developmental, mental and physical side effects. The effects of smoking weed can extend to those of smoking cigarettes “studies show regular marijuana use can lead to many of the same

Marijuana is considered in popular culture to be a widely accepted mainstream recreational illegal drug used in the United States; its use comes with severe adverse side effects that are often overlooked. Long-Term use of marijuana 'sis shown to have negative effects on physical, mental, and environmental health. Studies have shown that in the United States, up to 20% of daily marijuana users become dependent (Marijuana and Lung Health) showing a physical or emotional need for the drug. Marijuana use has the potential to affect every aspect of a person 's physical and mental wellbeing negatively. Its use also comes with potentially life-altering risks to one 's future including an individual’s likelihood of obtaining a degree, impacting their future earning potential and decreasing their overall reported life satisfaction. Once dependent on marijuana, people stop caring about their schooling. Long-term use of smoking marijuana can result in the inability to learn, retain information and think critically.

Looking around us today the youth of our nation is far more advanced in many aspects then ever before. From the mature styles of clothing to their ability to operate technology better then their parents, adolescents believe they are mentally older and able to make adequate decisions. This is a dangerous mind frame to have when the world around these adolescents is a rapidly growing marijuana market. Medical marijuana is a popular topic of conversation with not enough emphasis on its direct effect on the listening ears of children. The idea of medical marijuana is a stepping-stone in adolescents’ minds with the impression of, if it is considered medicine it’s there to help. In a perfect world adolescents would be sheltered from all harm but our world is not perfect and medical marijuana is a downward spiral with its increased use by children. Proactive action is necessary against this easily accessible drug to protect the innocents of the children and as a society we can do so by diminishing its name, false praises, and availability.

In today’s society, Marijuana has become one of the most widespread illegal drugs. It continues to be the most abused substance among adolescents. By the time these young people graduate from high school, more than 40 percent of them will have tried marijuana at least once. The main chemical used in marijuana that causes addiction and creates the emotional high feeling is called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. This chemical is known to encourage the release of dopamine, which stimulates the area of the brain connected with pleasure, the THC in marijuana can cause many negative side effects later. The younger the youths, the more damaging it could be for them to use the marijuana drug. This essay will provide five facts from the videos Messing with Heads, Marijuana and Mental Illness,Understanding Mental Illness and Schizophrenia,Kay Redfield Jamison-Surviving Bipolar Disorder ,Obsessions-Who's Normal Anyway and PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that will help my teenage client understand the risks of smoking marijuana, the connection between marijuana and psychotic disorders and the reason I disagree with regular marijuana use.