A recent survey of American 8th, 10th and 12th graders shows that marijuana edibles are popular among teen marijuana users, especially in states that have legalized medical marijuana, such as Arizona. The 2014 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) measures drug use and attitudes among teens, and found that 40% of 12th graders who had used marijuana in the past year in medical marijuana states have consumed it in an edible form. In non-medical marijuana states, 26% of high school seniors reported consuming edible marijuana. These products often contain high doses of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. There is a danger to both adults and kids of ingesting large amounts of THC without intending to, and higher THC may mean an even greater risk for addiction. The short and long term effects of marijuana include slowed thinking and reaction time, memory and learning problems, intense anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia.
The MTF survey states that while marijuana use has remained relatively stable over the past few years, attitudes are continuing to change regarding the perception of marijuana’s risk. Only 36.1% of 12th graders say regular marijuana smoking puts the user at great risk, compared to 52.4% five years ago. The survey is a good reminder that low perception of risk and high societal acceptance of a drug drives use. Research has consistently shown that the less risky a child believes a drug to be and the more that society shows approval of the substance, the more likely the child is to use it. Parents, let the results of this study guide you to a great conversation with your teen. Let them know you disapprove of them using marijuana and other drugs.
Visit: /drugfreeazkids/TalkWithYourKids for tools to help you with this conversation.
