4 Reasons Teens SHOULDN’T Smoke Marijuana
Being a product of the 60’s and 70’s, I’ve always considered smoking pot to be a lesser evil than booze, uppers, downers, and heroin. Just my vocabulary will show you how out of date I am on the drug scene.
Last week, a client asked me if I could blog about teens smoking weed, so I interviewed Dr. Sarah Villarreal, a psychologist who specializes in teen disorders in Palo Alto, and my cousin, Dr. Alex Kawana, a physician, to get the latest update on the affects of marijuana on teens.
Quite frankly, I was surprised by what they told me. Dr. Villarreal confirmed that despite conflicting evidence of marijuana being a “gateway drug” (one that leads to harder drugs), it negatively affects motivation, sleeping, mood and healthy eating. Dr. Villarreal stated it is a depressant and can at the very least amplify existing depression and/or create depressive symptoms.
Dr. Alex Kawana says that the California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) believes that marijuana should be legalized, whereas the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) believes that it should continue to be illegal.
CSAM believes that marijuana should be legalized and the revenues generated should go towards the prevention of adolescent marijuana use. Kawana agrees. Adolescents should to be told to wait until age 18 to start smoking marijuana. Data shows that adolescents who are chronic users of marijuana will be chronic users as adults. However, adults who start smoking marijuana rarely become chronic users. According to Health Canada, the marijuana that the flower children smoked at Woodstock in 1969 had 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but today, street-grade marijuana has at least 10% and up to 30% THC. Wow! I had no idea.
Here are 4 reasons why teens shouldn’t smoke marijuana.
#1: Physical Health
While marijuana may seem to have a relaxing affect, it actually increases your heart rate by 20 to 50 beats per minute. This causes strain on your organs and forces your heart to work extra hard to keep up. The smoke from marijuana irritates the lungs causing breathing and lung problems. Regular users can experience daily coughs and a higher risk of lung infections that can result in pneumonia.
#2: Mental Health
According to a Rhode Island state government report, teens who smoke marijuana double their chances of developing depression and anxiety, and triple the odds of having suicidal thoughts. A Swedish study found that teens who were heavy weed smokers were six times more likely to develop schizophrenia, especially if they have family history of the disorder.
#3: Academic Success
The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) found teens who smoked marijuana had an 8-point drop in their IQ, even if they quit smoking in adulthood. Long-term users had lower academic grades and were 60% more likely to drop out of school, have attention and memory problems, suffer from learning difficulties, and be less satisfied with their lives than their non-weed-smoking peers. Duke University found that the earlier and more frequently a teen smoked pot, the greater the loss of intelligence by age 38. Dr. Andra Smith, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa, says,”I don’t really care if you smoke at 35, but don’t do it when you’re 13 because you’re just setting yourself up for failure.” Good advice!
#4: Impaired Driving
According to the NIDA, marijuana is the most common illegal drug involved in auto fatalities, and high school seniors are twice as likely to receive a traffic ticket and 65% more likely to get in an accident than their non-pot-smoking counterparts. Because TLC affects areas of the frontal cortex — the part of your brain that involves decision making, smoking weed can cause you to do things you might not do when you are straight. Marijuana negatively affects your concentration, coordination, and reaction time — making you unsafe behind the wheel!
Teens cope with so many pressures: school, relationships, college and career, and drugs/alcohol. If you’re worried about your teen, get help fast! Once they start smoking pot regularly, it’s difficult to get them to stop.
I refer teens to Dr. Sarah Villarreal of Entelechy Wellness Center in Palo Alto and San Francisco, and to Dr. Richard Gilbert (psychiatrist) in Aptos.