Table of contents<\/h2>- Common Names Used for Marijuana<\/a><\/li>
- Statistics for Teens Smoking Weed<\/a><\/li>
- How Marijuana Affects Teenagers<\/a>
- How marijuana affects the teenage brain<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Marijuana Is More Potent Than Ever Before<\/a>
- What does this mean for your teen?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What Should Parents Do To Prevent or Stop Their Teens From Using Marijuana?<\/a>
- Pay attention to your teen\u2019s moods<\/a><\/li>
- Do not promote marijuana use as a way to self-medicate for ADHD, depression, or anxiety<\/a><\/li>
- Seek treatment for marijuana use or substance use disorder<\/a>
- Treatment options for marijuana use<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Marijuana Presents a Challenge for You, the Parent<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Common Names Used for Marijuana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are many different names for marijuana. Teens may be familiar with or use some or all of these terms. Common names for marijuana include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Weed. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pot. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reefer. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cannabis. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hash\/hashish. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ganja. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mota. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dope.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Chronic. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Grass. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Statistics for Teens Smoking Weed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How many teens use marijuana? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)<\/a>, 8.3% of eighth graders, 19.5% of 10th<\/sup> graders, and 30.7% of 12th<\/sup> graders used marijuana in 2022. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)<\/a> reported that in 2018, about 1 in 8 adolescents ages 12-17 (12.5%) had used marijuana in the past year. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Marijuana Affects Teenagers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, how does marijuana affect teenagers? Although some teens think smoking weed is safer than using other drugs or even drinking alcohol<\/a>, it can affect multiple areas of their lives, including their health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Short- and long-term effects of marijuana include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Poor judgment and decision making. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lack of coordination and balance. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Relationship problems. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Learning, memory, and concentration issues. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Potential addiction. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Loss of motivation<\/a>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Increased risk of mental illness<\/a> and mental health problems, such as depression and psychosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How marijuana affects the teenage brain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Research has shown that the effects of marijuana on the brain include altering executive functions such as planning, learning, studying, and even impulse control.<\/strong> This has been found to be especially true for teens who start smoking at an early age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe teen brain is still developing \u2014 teens\u2019 attention and emotion centers are still developing,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to an American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report<\/a>, the adolescent brain does not fully develop until the early 20s, and studies of brain function in youths with heavy or regular use of cannabis show potential abnormalities across brain regions, including those affecting memory. In addition, the report stated, long-term marijuana use that began in adolescence showed that deficits in cognitive areas, including executive function (e.g., problem-solving skills<\/a>) and processing speed, were not recovered by adulthood, even if cannabis use was discontinued. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd, according to a Canadian neuroscientist<\/a>, the adolescent brain (still going through brain development) is more sensitive to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active chemical in marijuana that makes people high. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTherapeutic Advances in Pharmacology reports that marijuana\u202fis composed of over 400 chemicals<\/a>\u202f\u2014 60 of them classified as cannabinoids, with the potential to cause physical harm and marijuana addiction. The more concentrated it becomes, the more addictive it becomes, and the more harm it can cause, such as with marijuana use disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\nMarijuana Is More Potent Than Ever Before<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As a parent, you should keep in mind that today\u2019s marijuana is far more potent than before. In the early 1980s, the\u202fTHC content was, on average, 4%, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse<\/a>. In 2018, the THC content of marijuana plants was over 15% because plants have been specially bred for higher THC content. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat does this mean for your teen?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t see the effects of marijuana like this 17 years ago,\u201d Simms said. \u201cI see more kids that are paranoid and delusional, and with more dissociation or depersonalization complaints.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Medical News Today<\/a>, dissociation is a feeling of being detached from things, while depersonalization is a feeling of being detached from oneself and one\u2019s own identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe news doesn\u2019t necessarily educate or talk about these issues, so parents and kids don\u2019t even make the connection,\u201d Simms said. She added that the higher-potency marijuana increases the chance of dependency, which leads to more biological, psychological, and social side effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Should Parents Do To Prevent or Stop Their Teens From Using Marijuana?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Parent](\"https:\/\/www.embarkbh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Parent-talks-to-teen-to-top-marijuana-use-1024x683.jpeg\")
Parent talks to teen to stop marijuana use. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you suspect or know your teen is using marijuana, you may be worried about how to get your teenager to stop smoking pot. Following are some suggestions for how to help your child \u2014 and how their moods can help you identify if there really is an issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simms recommended learning about modern cannabis. One resource to start with is the e-book \u201cMarijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know\u201d from NIDA<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\u201cParents need to educate themselves on the different forms of marijuana and how to find them because the various forms are smaller and harder to detect by smell, so they are harder to find at home and school,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce they know what to look for, parents need to sweep rooms every once in a while for signs of substance use<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nPay attention to your teen\u2019s moods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs adults, we have to be careful about blaming everything on being a teenager and puberty,\u201d Simms said, adding that there will be mood instability with adolescence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you add anything extra, those moods are going to be intensified,\u201d she said. \u201cKids tend to become more irritable, more aggressive, and more defiant and can even appear depressed with chronic marijuana use.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simms said behaviors may appear more sneaky to the point where parents notice money and personal belongings start to disappear, and behaviors become more reckless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do not promote marijuana use as a way to self-medicate for ADHD, depression, or anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome use that as a reason,\u201d Simms said regarding using marijuana to address focus and\u202fmental health issues, \u201cbut I also think that\u2019s a form of manipulation to get parents to say it\u2019s OK. \u2018Using marijuana helps me sleep.\u2019 \u2018It helps me not be sad.\u2019 \u2018It helps me not be anxious.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarijuana\u2019s not the first line of treatment\u202fin these cases. There are legal, safer ways to treat those issues that don\u2019t possibly lead to other issues.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your teen is dealing with sleeping issues, depression<\/a>, or anxiety<\/a>, talk with your child\u2019s pediatrician or primary care provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSeek treatment for marijuana use or substance use disorder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If your teen is using marijuana and needs help, Simms recommended first looking for a good outpatient therapist who specializes in addictive behaviors, such as cannabis use disorder, to provide teen marijuana use treatment.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cIf they have issues such as anxiety, consider getting a child or adolescent psychiatrist or a pediatrician on board,\u201d Simms said, \u201cbecause if they\u2019re self-medicating<\/a> and you don\u2019t treat the underlying issues, then it’s more difficult for our youths to stop.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nSimms said an individual therapist and medication management may be deemed necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Treatment options for marijuana use<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
If your teen needs a stronger drug use treatment program, options include an intensive outpatient program (IOP)<\/a>. If their behaviors and use become more intensified and problematic even while getting therapy \u2014 especially if the drug use<\/a> starts affecting their functioning and they have issues such as skipping school or legal charges \u2014 an inpatient program for drug use is recommended, such as short-term residential treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cA 30-day program where they can live and breathe treatment and go through detox safely while not having any exposure to drugs or drug use can be helpful,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once your teen completes an inpatient program, they will need to re-enter life and establish new patterns gradually. An IOP could be an option during that time. You should strive to ensure your teen is compliant with their individual therapist and medication management after they\u2019ve been released from teen marijuana treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marijuana Presents a Challenge for You, the Parent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Considering the negative short- and long-term effects of marijuana use for teenagers, it\u2019s imperative you talk to your child about cannabis and keep an eye out for signs they\u2019re using it. If you suspect teen marijuana use \u2014 or any other drug use \u2014 get them help quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- How marijuana affects the teenage brain<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Marijuana Is More Potent Than Ever Before<\/a>
- What does this mean for your teen?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What Should Parents Do To Prevent or Stop Their Teens From Using Marijuana?<\/a>
- Pay attention to your teen\u2019s moods<\/a><\/li>
- Do not promote marijuana use as a way to self-medicate for ADHD, depression, or anxiety<\/a><\/li>
- Seek treatment for marijuana use or substance use disorder<\/a>
- Treatment options for marijuana use<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Marijuana Presents a Challenge for You, the Parent<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Common Names Used for Marijuana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are many different names for marijuana. Teens may be familiar with or use some or all of these terms. Common names for marijuana include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Weed. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pot. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reefer. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cannabis. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hash\/hashish. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ganja. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mota. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dope.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Chronic. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Grass. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Statistics for Teens Smoking Weed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How many teens use marijuana? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)<\/a>, 8.3% of eighth graders, 19.5% of 10th<\/sup> graders, and 30.7% of 12th<\/sup> graders used marijuana in 2022. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)<\/a> reported that in 2018, about 1 in 8 adolescents ages 12-17 (12.5%) had used marijuana in the past year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Marijuana Affects Teenagers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, how does marijuana affect teenagers? Although some teens think smoking weed is safer than using other drugs or even drinking alcohol<\/a>, it can affect multiple areas of their lives, including their health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Short- and long-term effects of marijuana include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Poor judgment and decision making. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Lack of coordination and balance. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Relationship problems. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Learning, memory, and concentration issues. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Potential addiction. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Loss of motivation<\/a>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Increased risk of mental illness<\/a> and mental health problems, such as depression and psychosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How marijuana affects the teenage brain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Research has shown that the effects of marijuana on the brain include altering executive functions such as planning, learning, studying, and even impulse control.<\/strong> This has been found to be especially true for teens who start smoking at an early age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe teen brain is still developing \u2014 teens\u2019 attention and emotion centers are still developing,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to an American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report<\/a>, the adolescent brain does not fully develop until the early 20s, and studies of brain function in youths with heavy or regular use of cannabis show potential abnormalities across brain regions, including those affecting memory. In addition, the report stated, long-term marijuana use that began in adolescence showed that deficits in cognitive areas, including executive function (e.g., problem-solving skills<\/a>) and processing speed, were not recovered by adulthood, even if cannabis use was discontinued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, according to a Canadian neuroscientist<\/a>, the adolescent brain (still going through brain development) is more sensitive to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active chemical in marijuana that makes people high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therapeutic Advances in Pharmacology reports that marijuana\u202fis composed of over 400 chemicals<\/a>\u202f\u2014 60 of them classified as cannabinoids, with the potential to cause physical harm and marijuana addiction. The more concentrated it becomes, the more addictive it becomes, and the more harm it can cause, such as with marijuana use disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marijuana Is More Potent Than Ever Before<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As a parent, you should keep in mind that today\u2019s marijuana is far more potent than before. In the early 1980s, the\u202fTHC content was, on average, 4%, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse<\/a>. In 2018, the THC content of marijuana plants was over 15% because plants have been specially bred for higher THC content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does this mean for your teen?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t see the effects of marijuana like this 17 years ago,\u201d Simms said. \u201cI see more kids that are paranoid and delusional, and with more dissociation or depersonalization complaints.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Medical News Today<\/a>, dissociation is a feeling of being detached from things, while depersonalization is a feeling of being detached from oneself and one\u2019s own identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe news doesn\u2019t necessarily educate or talk about these issues, so parents and kids don\u2019t even make the connection,\u201d Simms said. She added that the higher-potency marijuana increases the chance of dependency, which leads to more biological, psychological, and social side effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Should Parents Do To Prevent or Stop Their Teens From Using Marijuana?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Parent talks to teen to stop marijuana use. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n If you suspect or know your teen is using marijuana, you may be worried about how to get your teenager to stop smoking pot. Following are some suggestions for how to help your child \u2014 and how their moods can help you identify if there really is an issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simms recommended learning about modern cannabis. One resource to start with is the e-book \u201cMarijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know\u201d from NIDA<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\u201cParents need to educate themselves on the different forms of marijuana and how to find them because the various forms are smaller and harder to detect by smell, so they are harder to find at home and school,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce they know what to look for, parents need to sweep rooms every once in a while for signs of substance use<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pay attention to your teen\u2019s moods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs adults, we have to be careful about blaming everything on being a teenager and puberty,\u201d Simms said, adding that there will be mood instability with adolescence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you add anything extra, those moods are going to be intensified,\u201d she said. \u201cKids tend to become more irritable, more aggressive, and more defiant and can even appear depressed with chronic marijuana use.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simms said behaviors may appear more sneaky to the point where parents notice money and personal belongings start to disappear, and behaviors become more reckless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do not promote marijuana use as a way to self-medicate for ADHD, depression, or anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome use that as a reason,\u201d Simms said regarding using marijuana to address focus and\u202fmental health issues, \u201cbut I also think that\u2019s a form of manipulation to get parents to say it\u2019s OK. \u2018Using marijuana helps me sleep.\u2019 \u2018It helps me not be sad.\u2019 \u2018It helps me not be anxious.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarijuana\u2019s not the first line of treatment\u202fin these cases. There are legal, safer ways to treat those issues that don\u2019t possibly lead to other issues.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your teen is dealing with sleeping issues, depression<\/a>, or anxiety<\/a>, talk with your child\u2019s pediatrician or primary care provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek treatment for marijuana use or substance use disorder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If your teen is using marijuana and needs help, Simms recommended first looking for a good outpatient therapist who specializes in addictive behaviors, such as cannabis use disorder, to provide teen marijuana use treatment.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf they have issues such as anxiety, consider getting a child or adolescent psychiatrist or a pediatrician on board,\u201d Simms said, \u201cbecause if they\u2019re self-medicating<\/a> and you don\u2019t treat the underlying issues, then it’s more difficult for our youths to stop.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simms said an individual therapist and medication management may be deemed necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Treatment options for marijuana use<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
If your teen needs a stronger drug use treatment program, options include an intensive outpatient program (IOP)<\/a>. If their behaviors and use become more intensified and problematic even while getting therapy \u2014 especially if the drug use<\/a> starts affecting their functioning and they have issues such as skipping school or legal charges \u2014 an inpatient program for drug use is recommended, such as short-term residential treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA 30-day program where they can live and breathe treatment and go through detox safely while not having any exposure to drugs or drug use can be helpful,\u201d Simms said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once your teen completes an inpatient program, they will need to re-enter life and establish new patterns gradually. An IOP could be an option during that time. You should strive to ensure your teen is compliant with their individual therapist and medication management after they\u2019ve been released from teen marijuana treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marijuana Presents a Challenge for You, the Parent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Considering the negative short- and long-term effects of marijuana use for teenagers, it\u2019s imperative you talk to your child about cannabis and keep an eye out for signs they\u2019re using it. If you suspect teen marijuana use \u2014 or any other drug use \u2014 get them help quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Increased risk of mental illness<\/a> and mental health problems, such as depression and psychosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Marijuana Presents a Challenge for You, the Parent<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- Do not promote marijuana use as a way to self-medicate for ADHD, depression, or anxiety<\/a><\/li>
- What Should Parents Do To Prevent or Stop Their Teens From Using Marijuana?<\/a>
- Marijuana Is More Potent Than Ever Before<\/a>