A Changing View on Marijuana

Blog #3 - September 28, 2009

The seriousness to which we treat the issue of marijuana varies from person to person. Some see marijuana use as harmless and support legalization, while others feel strongly the opposite and that it is as serious a drug as any other illegal substances, like cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. Regardless of individual opinions, it is important to acknowledge the significant change in the potency of marijuana in the last few decades. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the active ingredient in marijuana that effects potency. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), since the 1970's the level of THC in marijuana has increased by as much as 500%. It is important to examine what this change means in terms of health effects, addiction rates, and the likelihood of leading to other drug use due to the fact that other than alcohol, marijuana is the most popular drug teens experiment with.

A difficult fact to dispute for those in favor of legalizing marijuana is that the effects of the drug are different for everyone and there is no clear mathematical formula to determine the amount of time it takes for the drug to be metabolized and leave a person's system, as is the case with alcohol. The short term or immediate effects of marijuana use include distorted perception, loss of coordination, laziness, antisocial behavior, paranoia, trouble thinking or problem solving, and memory or learning difficulties. The US Department of Health and Human Services found that in 2002. approximately 120,000 people were admitted to emergency rooms as a result of marijuana related issues. This statistic was a 139% increase since 1995. Long terms effects of heavy use include having parts of the brain affected that control memory, attention, and learning. The NIDA reports that about 1 in 7 10th graders are current users of marijuana (meaning they have used in the last month) and that less than 1 in 5 12th graders are current users.

Today, marijuana addiction is receiving much more attention compared to the feeling in previous years that marijuana was not an addictive substance. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported in 2007 that more people are entering rehabilitation centers for marijuana addiction than for primary addictions to heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Ambivalence regarding teens using marijuana is common where people feel that they could be doing a lot worse, yet the substance is responsible for damaging family relationships, school work, and other activities. The NIDA found that marijuana use by teenagers who have previous antisocial behavior can quickly lead to addiction.

The discussion of marijuana as a "Gateway" drug also stirs up its fair share of debate and controversy. The Gateway Theory is that people, in this case teens, start out experimenting with marijuana and then move into more serious drugs, like cocaine, heroin, or meth. On one side of the debate are groups like the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), who report that marijuana users are 85 times more likely than non-users to try cocaine. The other side then picks apart these reports as making great exaggerations, claiming that these statistics are based on a calculation that divides the proportion of marijuana users who have ever tried cocaine by the proportion of cocaine users who have never used marijuana.

Regardless of personal feelings regarding marijuana use, it is a fact that teens are curious about controlled substances. Marijuana is an easily accessible drug with arguably fewer, and less serious, side effects than other drugs, like heroin. The seriousness of the problem is how the potency has significantly changed, as have the rates of addiction. Marijuana is just one more issue for parents and society to worry about in the lives of today's youth.

Teens and Alcohol

Blog #2 - September 21, 2009

The immense exposure of alcohol to America's youth is unavoidable. Between the media's glamorization and our cultural acceptance of cocktails after work or a cold beer on a summer day, alcohol is a part of our daily lives. Alcohol may only be legally sold to adults over the age of 21, but its appeal is sold to all ages. Teens experiment with alcohol for a variety of reasons, like curiosity, boredom, and peer pressure, yet they lack the full capacity to understand the ramifications of their actions. Educating adolescents about the physical, mental, and behavioral impact of alcohol abuse is just as important as any other drug prevention program, if not more so, because of the everyday presence of alcohol in our lives.

Alcohol is a commonly abused substance by teens because of its accessibility factor compared to other drugs. Because alcohol has age restrictions, rather than being outlawed completely, like marijuana or cocaine, many teens have access to it in their own homes or through friends. The adolescent or teenage years are a period of transition and experimentation in the social lives of young people, however, what many do not realize is that these are also years of significant cognitive growth. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol exposure during these years is damaging to brain development, as well as putting teens at risk for alcohol dependence later in their lives.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that 1 in 5 American adults grew up with an alcoholic in the home. The inevitable desensitization to alcohol with those who have been as intensely exposed as children whose parents are alcoholics is dangerous because of the potential to develop a lackadaisical attitude toward it, as well as having easy access. NIAAA found that individuals who start drinking before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence compared to those who start drinking at age 20 or older. This statistic paired with the risk of having a family history of alcoholism poses great potential for issues with alcohol abuse for teen drinkers.

The sentiment that "drugs are bad" is constantly reinforced in children and teens today; however, many do not realize that young people are more likely to die as a result of underage alcohol use than all the other illegal drugs combined. Drunk driving , suicide, unsafe sex, and violence are just some of the dangerous behaviors associated with alcohol consumption. A University of Washington study found that the rates of binge drinking (5 or more drinks in one sitting for boys, 4 or more for girls) among 8th graders were almost 40% lower in areas with an educational prevention system than in communities with no prevention system in place for teens. Although teens are not fully physically and mentally developed, they are much more likely to make good choices if exposed to the education of the dangers of drinking.

The Issues with Substance Abuse

Blog #1

Today teens are turning to drugs and alcohol as a means of entertainment, acceptance from peers, and an escape from the difficulties associated with growing up. Abuse of these substances has grown tremendously in recent years and the public's awareness of the problem is following. Substance abuse among the teen population is a serious societal problem due to the associated costs, which include health care, crime, accidents, psychological damage, deaths, etc.

Taking risks and experimentation is part of the teenage lifestyle and the growing up process, however, the age at which these dangerous activities are beginning is of concern. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), alcohol, the most commonly abused drug, is usually tried between the ages of 12- to 17- years old. A survey by the AAP reports that 25% of 8th graders, 40% of 10th graders, and 53% of high school seniors admitted to drinking in the last month. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that by the end of high school approximately 93% of teenagers had experimented with alcohol and 66% with illicit drugs. These behaviors raise concerns for society because teens are not as capable of understanding the real dangers. Delayed reactions, impaired judgment, and violent behavior can lead to premature or unsafe sexual practices, car accidents, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), alcohol poisoning, or overdoses.

According to the NIDA, growing trends in teen substance abuse include a significant rise in the recreational use of prescription drugs, such as Vicodin, as well as opiates, tranquilizers, barbiturates, sedatives, and amphetamines. Additionally, the teen perception of the risks involved with serious drugs, like hallucinogens, marijuana, and inhalants has decreased.

With the current state of the economy the American public is justified in its concerns regarding societal costs and health care. The National Center for Health Statistics estimated that the medical costs alone for drug abuse comes to $60 billion, while the costs for alcohol reach $100 billion. These numbers do not even include the costs associated with the criminal behaviors which accompany substance abuse.