Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among adolescents in the United States. It favors to be the first illegal drug teenagers use. The average age of first time marijuana users are 12 years old. Currently, one in ten teens ages 12-17 are current users of marijuana. Nearly a quarter of eighth graders reported that they had already tried it.
Use of marijuana can vary from experimentation to abuse to chronic use. Teenagers began using marijuana for numerous of reasons. Some because they want to be kewl or peer pressure. Some marijuana users began because they see their older brothers, sisters, friends, and parents using it. Others are using the drug out of curiosity and to be social.
Another cause of marijuana usage is the constant advertisement of the drug in movies, videos, television spots and songs, these avenues of advertisement are making the use of drugs look like the thing to do. The smoking of marijuana can cause several negative effects such as delayed reactions, impaired judgments, violent behavior, problems with memory and learning. Students who regularly use drugs perform at a lower level than peers who are nonusers. Marijuana also puts you at risk of severe injuries, overdose, and death from drowning, burns, falls, and car accidents. Overtime, continued use of marijuana often results in a decrease in the pleasurable effects experienced during a high. A pregnant teenage woman has been advised not to use not only marijuana but any type of drug because they could harm the growing fetus.
The Essay on Marijuana Drug
Marijuana use and the ability to freely choose whether or not it should be legal or illegal is fierce debate today. Whether or not State or Federal government should regulate this is the “hot topic” that is being debate even as we speak. There are two sides to every story and of course my opinion as well. The side that opposes the legalization of marijuana stands tall with the National Institute ...
It is unclear whether or not marijuana use has a negative impact on the developing fetus. Studies have shown that heavy marijuana use, especially during the early months of a pregnancy, may increase the risk of certain birth defects as well as low birth weight. Studies in children born to mothers who used marijuana have shown increased behavioral problems during infancy and preschool years. These children are also more likely to have problems with decision making, memory, and the ability to remain attentive. Short term marijuana use can turn into a long term addiction in some teens. They began to loose control of the urges that marijuana brings.
Because of the many ways that excessive marijuana use can disrupt adolescent development, the earlier chronic users are identified, the better. Involvement, concern, and control by parents have a strong influence on the behavior of very young teenagers. For teenagers who choose to experiment with drugs, intervention by parents, siblings, and friends may be all it takes to stop them from continuing toward abuse or dependence on the drug. Let’s now find out how this substance is grown and cultivated..
