Marijuana Use
Marijuana is known as the "gateway drug", but is that label taken too lightly? Many people think marijuana is not addictive and a normal social habit. What people do not take into consideration are the long-term and short-term effects of this "harmless" drug. Today, marijuana can be filled with chemicals that go into the lungs and brain. New things like dap pens contain THC and unnatural substances that can seriously affect a person's body. The harmful effects of marijuana use and the lack of knowledge on the topic create concern for a growing epidemic of negative outcomes for adolescents.
The term "gateway drug" does hold some truth. Marijuana use is heavily associated with other risky behaviors such as alcohol and other hard drugs. It is rare that you will find someone who has tried hard drugs without trying marijuana first. The use of marijuana can also be an effect of mental health problems like depression and anxiety as well as a genetic predisposition for addiction or substance use (Secades-Villa et al). Not only can it be caused by it, but it can also result in mental health problems. Marijuana use can influence the reward center in your brain, dopamine levels, motivation, and overall habits of life.
Adolescent Brains
Adolescence is a time period filled with cognitive, behavioral, and physical changes that every person experiences from roughly age 11 to 21. Brain development is crucial for a healthy, successful life. During this time period, adolescents are more vulnerable to stress, social pressures, and risk-taking behaviors. Impulsive and quick decision-making results in these types of behaviors. As a child's brain develops into an adult brain, certain things could negatively affect the process of development. This is also a time where adolescents have a higher chance of developing a mental disorder that could become permanent with substance use.
Effects on the Developing Brain
“I need to tell you that you were right,” he said to me.
“Right about what?” I ask.
“Right about the marijuana. You told me weed would hurt my brain, and it’s ruined my mind and my life. You were right all along. I’m sorry, and I love you.” He died by suicide three days later.
This is a conversation had by Jonny Stack and his mother just days before he decided to take his life. Jonny's Story is just one of the many examples of marijuana ruining lives. Jonny's Story is one of the many cases of an early adolescent who began smoking too early and realized too late. The influence marijuana use has on a person is too commonly overlooked. The idea that weed is not addictive is untrue. It controls lives without realizing it and if an adolescent's brain has been exposed to this substance from the start of major development, it won't know anything different. The dependency causes it to feel impossible to quit.
According to Risks and Benefits of Legalized Cannabis from Lindsey Rogers, when starting early enough, marijuana can affect the neural pathways in the brain which influences the signaling of dopamine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters crucial for a healthy brain. The earlier a person starts, the worse it can get. Development is stunted, dependency increases, and the chances of getting into harder substances in the future drastically increases.
What is Medical Marijuana?
Although it seems marijuana does come with a lot of downsides, it is necessary to point out the way in which it can be beneficial to certain lives. Research is still on going and at time inconclusive but is still currently believed to have some benefits. Medical marijuana has been known to help people with nausea or headaches and pain or even serious diseases like cancer or seizures. For it to be considered "medical" it must be prescribed by a doctor or physician (Rogers).
How Can We Stop This?
Educating and bringing awareness to harmful effects of marijuana are the most important and easiest steps to take. Making sure your children know about the possible outcomes of marijuana use and the harmful ingredients it contains can be the first step to awareness. Keep a close eye on the social habits of your kids and make sure they know they can come to you about peer pressure or concerns regarding risky behaviors. If an adolescent is using it to cope with struggles, provide a more effective, safer option that could replace what the weed represents. Since the research towards the positive effects of medical marijuana is not strong on the effectiveness, it should be harder for adolescents to qualify for getting it prescribed. Intense screening and tests should occur before prescribing to make sure the symptoms are truthful and marijuana is the right choice.
Marijuana use is common with adolescents. The lack of knowledge around the topic makes it seem like a safe or even fun option in a social environment or even a coping mechanism. Adolescents should not be under the impression that there are no risks with marijuana use. The detrimental short-and-long term effects need to be talked about more. Marijuana can lead to a less successful and happy life that needs to be put into focus before the normalization of marijuana turns into the normalization of a lesser life.
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