Marijuana and Kids

Marijuana and Kids

There is a lot of information available online and much of it is contradictory depending on whether you support or disagree with the drug’s use.  However, almost all proponents of the drug agree that marijuana, like alcohol and tobacco should not be used by children.  Here are some of the common myths about marijuana and how they relate to children.

MYTH: Marijuana is harmless.

While no one have ever died of a marijuana overdose, that does not make marijuana a “safe” drug for children to experiment with.  The problem with marijuana is the frequency with which people combine it with other drugs and alcohol.  This makes it very difficult to determine just how dangerous marijuana really is.  With children and teen’s bodies and minds still developing, marijuana can have a significantly negative effect which can permanently affect their health.  “According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, teens who use drugs are five times more likely to have sex than teens who do not use drugs. Getting high also contributes to general apathy, irresponsible behavior, and risky choices.”

MYTH: Young kids won’t be exposed to marijuana.

Almost half of all twelve year olds in this country have tried marijuana.  That alone should tell you how prevalent the drug is.  Many children who try marijuana are introduced to it by friends or family that they trust.  “Between 1991 and 2001, the number of 8th graders who used marijuana doubled from one in ten to one in five.”

MYTH: You can’t get addicted to marijuana.

Marijuana is an addictive drug.  Even proponents of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes acknowledge that it should be a regulated industry like tobacco and alcohol and not be given to children.  “In 2004, more than 298,317 people entering drug treatment programs reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse, showing they needed help to stop using.”  Children and teens are especially susceptible to becoming addicted because of their developing bodies.

MYTH: There’s not much parents can do to stop their kids from “experimenting” with marijuana.

This is a ridiculous argument.  If someone told you “your fourteen year old daughter is going to try and get pregnant this week” would you simply shrug and say “kids will be kids, I can’t do anything about it?”  Of course not.  Parent’s are a huge influence on their children’s behavior and beliefs and telling your children about the dangers of marijuana and how you don’t want them hurting themselves can have much more impact on your child’s life than you imagine.

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