Five
GOOD Reasons Why Teens Should Not Smoke Pot!Five
GOOD Reasons Why Teens Should Not Smoke Pot!
1. Marijuana puts kids at risk. It’s harmful to young bodies and minds
that are still developing. It affects the brain and can impair mental health,
leading to increased depression and anxiety. Also, it poses many of the same
threats as smoking tobacco.
2. It can cause a decrease in academic achievement. Even short-term use has
been proven to cause problems with memory, learning, cognitive development and
problem solving.
3. It can be the source of rebellion and misbehavior. Recent research has shown
that kids who engage in pot smoking more than once per week are more likely
to get in trouble with the law, struggle in school, have delinquent friends,
engage in sex and end up in risky and dangerous situations.
4. Drugged driving is another danger. One roadside study of reckless drivers
who were not impaired by alcohol showed that 45 percent tested positive for
pot.
5. It can become addictive. More teens enter drug treatment for pot than all
other illicit drugs combined. Sixty percent of teens currently in treatment
are there because of marijuana. According to the federal Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, of all the people entering treatment
for marijuana in 1999, more than half (57 percent) first used the drug by age
14.
Parents can help kids stay off pot by familiarizing themselves with the myths
and folklore concerning the drug and encouraging them to make smart decisions
about participation. For more information, log on to www.theantidrug.com. Look
for a downloadable copy of “Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free: A How-To Guide
For Parents and Caregivers” or call 1-800-788-2800 for your free copy.