Marijuana Use Among Teens on the Decline
Changes in Communication Technology Keeping Kids Off Social Drugs
Feb 3, 2009
Marijuana smoking is down in teenagers around the globe. In the United States 24 percent of teenagers studied admitted to smoking marijuana in 2006. These numbers were down 12 percent from a previous 2002 survey. In Canada the numbers were also down an average of 12 percent. Changes in socialization techniques and the negative health implications of drug and alcohol abuse can be attributed for the decline.
The Role Of Communication Technology
Marijuana use is down. These are the results of a study done on marijuana use in teens around the world. During the 4 year study, researchers tracked the marijuana use of 93,000 teens. The study concluded that marijuana use decreased in most of the countries. The study also showed that the teenagers spent less time “hanging out” with friends face to face. Teens opted to contact friends using other methods.
The results also showed that the teenagers who spent time socializing with their friends in the evening were more likely to smoke marijuana. The researchers speculated that the decrease in face to face socializing was probably based on the fact that teenagers were finding others ways to communicate. Researchers felt that teenagers preferred the new communication forms such as texting, email, social networks, and chat rooms.( Emmanuel Kuntsche et al., Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Study. Decrease in Adolescent Cannabis Use From 2002 to 2006 and Links to Evenings Out With Friends in 31 European and North American Countries and Regions Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2009; 163 (2): 119-125)
The Role of Teen Marijuana Use Research in Reducing Drug Use
Studies into teen marijuana use are providing the conclusive results of the negative health effects needed to the drug abuse. MRIs show that marijuana smoking damages the developing brain. Heavy pot smokers show damage in specific brain areas that are known to develop in teenage years. The affected region is responsible for memory, attention, language and functioning skills. A study was performed on 14 teenagers at a drug rehab center who had smoked nearly 6 joints day. The MRI’s showed damage to the myelin sheaths that was indicative of a slower messaging to the brain (Manzar Ashtari,et al., “Diffusion abnormalities in adolescents and young adults with a history of heavy cannabis use” Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2009; 43 (3): 189-204).
Implications of the Teen Marijuana Studies
In a 2005 study marijuana smokers showed altered blood flow to the brain. The altered flows were still detected even after a month of the smokers abstaining from marijuana smoking (Ronald I. Herning, et al., “Cerebrovascular perfusion in marijuana users during a month of monitored abstinence.” Neurology 2005 64: 488-493). It is not clear whether brain function will return once the brain is damaged in teenagers. The take home points for teenagers from these studies are:
- The road to drug abuse usually starts with marijuana.
- The teenage brain is undergoing critical development. Smoking marijuana damages portions of the brain responsible for memory, cognitive development and executive directives. Simply put, marijuana smoking damage results in teens that make poor choices and have problems staying on task.
- Not all teenagers smoke marijuana. Peer pressure should no longer matter.
- In response to the first study, limiting a teenager’s social time with friends is not the solution. Instead teens should engage in activities that do not encourage the use of marijuana.
- Brain damage due to smoking marijuana may not be reversible.
The message to teens should be clear, Just Say No.
 |
