Marijuana, A Gateway Drug- Middle School!

What they’re saying about marijuana use: even a little is too much.

Teens sample marijuana, sometimes as early as middle school. Some parents believe early experimentation is mostly harmless. Others may look at this gateway drug and realize their teen’s usage of this “recreational” substance was a step on the path toward more serious drug and/or alcohol abuse.

How tempting it is to say or think, “My child is only smoking pot—it could be much worse.” But it’s not that simple.

The facts are familiar and clear. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says Cannabis sativa’s active chemical—delta-9- tetrohydrocannabinol aka THC—causes distorted perception, impaired coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving and problems with learning and memory. Moreover, marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Studies have not proven the link between marijuana smoke and lung cancer, but users do show signs of respiratory distress similar to what smokers experience: phlegm production and frequent coughing, more frequent acute chest illness and heightened risk of lung infections.

Consider these statements, too, on THC’s other negative effects, from the San Diego Alcohol and Drug Treatment program Lasting Recovery, a nationally accredited one located in Sorrento Valley:

“Marijuana is not a harmless drug and used by teens, when their brains are forming, is setting the baseline for a lifetime of attraction to mind and mood altering chemicals as a way to deal with boredom, loneliness, stress, frustration and other normal life experiences….(Young users) were changing their brain chemistry to an uncontrollable dependency on chemicals to mask their feeling and block their problem solving abilities, effecting all areas of their lives.”

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released in 2007, 14.4 million Americans aged 12 or older used marijuana at least once in the month prior to being surveyed. Date indicates that users were primarily male (73.8 percent), White (51.5 percent), and young (36.1 percent were in the 15-19 age range.) And how about this: the 2008 National Survey on Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIII provided scary statistics on the availability of pot for teenagers: 42 percent of 12-17 year-olds said they could obtain (buy) marijuana within a day or less.

So it’s out there and it’s not good—even though much of society tries to downplay the harmful effects. For some casual users or those who need it for medical purposes, it may very well be the case that pot is relatively harmless and possibly even helpful if used in a controlled setting for a specific purpose. However, for a child or teen predisposed to addiction, even a little is too much.

Will marijuana be legalized here in Wisconsin, as California is proposing to do? Will that stop the problem of teen usage or make it worse? Time will tell.
The organization Because I Love You is a national group dedicated to supporting parents with troubled teens. Their website gives good advice on approaching the problem of pot (or any drug) usage from another angle: reduce stress and improve on problem-solving skills, both important keys for safe emotional development. Their list of “Ways to Reduce Stress Step-by-Step” is geared toward parents, but the suggestions are universally applicable and could help a teen make a better choice than to light up. My favorite is # 3: Stop being a perfectionist.

The website also includes a section called “Helping Teens with Stress” and “10 Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School.” Check it their reference library at: bily.org

Article on Horizon in Madison Newspaper

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This is a good way to publicize the one of the only aftercare programs for teens with substance use disorders.

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