Author: Beth Berger

Tips for Parents:

Be a good listener to your child
Give clear no-use messages about drugs and alcohol
Help your child deal with peer pressures of drugs
Get to know your child’s friends and parents
Monitor your child’s whereabouts
Supervise teen activities
Maintain open and honest dialogue with your child
(NIDA: Parents, p. 31)
Sources for more Information:
www.drugabuse.gov
www.drugfreeworld.org
www.marijuana-info.org
www.teens.drugabuse.gov
www.drugfree.org

Resources

Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA). (July 2008). Weed and Seed Application and Program Guide Now Available. Retrieved April 28, 2010 from, http://www.cadca.org/resources/detail/weed-and-seed-application-and-program-guide-now- available.
Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (2010). Retrieved April 28, 2010 from, www.drugfreeworld.org
Partnership for a Drug-Free America. (2007). Marijuana. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from, www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Marijuana.
U.S Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (March 2008). Marijuana: Facts for Teens. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from, www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/TEENS_Marijuana_brochure.pdf.
U.S Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (August 2009). Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from, www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/PARENTS_Marijuana_brochure.pdf.
U.S Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (June 2009). NIDA InfoFacts: Marijuana. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from, www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/InfoFacts/Marijuana09.pdf.

Beth Berger

Back-To-School Night 2010

Marijuana:
A Parents Guide to the Truth

High School Issues First Hand Look

Kines 165 Due: May 3, 2010

September 3, 2010

What is Marijuana?

Marijuana is the most abused illicit drug in the America. It is the product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The drug is composed of the mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant, and has a green or grey look to it (Partnership, 2007). Most users roll loose marijuana into a cigarette called a "joint". Weed can be smoked in a water pipe, called a "bong", or mixed into food or brewed as tea. It has also appeared in cigars called "blunts" (Partnership, 2007). Its street names include: Aunt Mary, Boom, Chronic (Marijuana alone or with crack), Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Kif, Mary Jane, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Weed (Partnership, 2007).
According to the statistics below, Marijuana is very prevalent in the lives of teens all around the country. Although many people believe that Marijuana does not have a large effect on the user, it effects the entire body in ways that are not initially felt that will cause damage for life.

Statistics to know:
In a 2007 survey, 14.4 mil. Americans aged 12 or older had used Marijuana at least once in the month before surveyed (NIDA, 2009, p.3).
In 2007, 6,000 people a day used Marijuana for the first time. Of these, 62% were under 18 (NIDA, 2009, p. 4).
42% of 12th Graders have tried Marijuana at least once (NIDA Parents, 2008, p. 32).
in 2004, 298,000 people entered drug treatment for marijuana abuse (NIDA Teens, 2008, p. 18).

Short-Term Effects	Long-Term Effects
- problems with memory and learning / - distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch) / - trouble with thinking and problem solving / - loss of motor coordination / - increased heart rate / *** Information Source: / (NIDA Teens, p. 10-12)	Cancer-- Marijuana smoke may have the same cancer causing-chemicals and in more amounts than cigarette smoke / Lung & Airways-- Often develop same breathing problems as cigarette smokers (cough, wheeze), and more chest colds and risk of pneumonia / Immune System-- Impairs T-cells in Lungs’ Immune system to fight against infections

Effects of Marijuana
There are stronger forms of marijuana available to adolescents today than in the 1970s or 1980s (NIDA Parents, p. 6). Stronger marijuana means stronger effects.
Contrary to most people who use marijuana, there is a chance of addiction to the drug. According to the NIDA, long-term use can lead to an addiction in which the user cannot control the urge to seek out and use marijuana although it negatively affects their family relationships, school performance, and recreational activities (Teens, p. 18). Continuous use of the drug, much like another, leads to a build up of tolerance, which will take more marijuana and money to get the desired effect.
Signs of Abuse
There are some signs you might be able to see. If someone is high on marijuana, he or she might:
seem dizzy and have trouble walking
seem silly and giggly for no reason
have very red, bloodshot eyes
have a hard time remembering things that just happened.
(NIDA Parents, p. 8)
When the early effects fade, the user can become very sleepy. Parents should be aware of changes in their child’s behavior, although this may be difficult with teens. Parents should look for withdrawal, depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. (NIDA Parents, p. 10). Also, be on the look out for a loss of interest in many things the child once loved, including activities and sports.
Prevention Methods
Home
There is no magic bullet for preventing teen drug use. The only way to keep your children away from drugs is by communicated the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. There are also many online resources that are offered to help you communicate with your children. There are online pamphlets issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services including What is Substance Abuse Treatment? and more specifically, Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know (NIDA, Parent). These all offer support for you and your children as well as tips to discuss these issues with your child.
School
For school-based programs, there are many options for lessons and information on drug abuse. One great program is offered through www.drugfreeworld.org, titled “The Truth About Drugs” Education package. This package contains 13 booklets and is centered around the powerful documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People. Real Stories that is a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred educational film that covers each of the most commonly abused substances (Foundation, 2010). This very powerful program offers specific Marijuana use effects from those who suffered them.
Community
From a community stand point, we must offer information and support for those who need it. One program for community involvement is Weed and Seed Communities Competitive Program (Community, 2008). The Weed and Seed strategy is a community-based comprehensive multi-agency approach that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, criminal drug-related activity, and gang activity (Community, 2008). Four elements make up the two-pronged Weed and Seed Strategy: Law Enforcement; Community Policing; Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment; and Neighborhood Restoration; and with these betters the community and keeps the streets clear of drugs for better and safer living.