Marijuana Abuse

Teen vaping — the use of e-cigarettes, or vapes, among teens, has become so widespread and so troubling that the Food and Drug Administration has started to take drastic action to counter the trend. Last September, the FDA ordered five brands—Juul, Vuse, MarkTen, blu e-cigs, and Logic—to submit plans to address teen use of their […]

The legalization of recreational marijuana use in California has set off an advertising boom on billboards across the state. They promise “Cannabis, the California Way!” and try to suggest that marijuana can help Californians say goodbye to stress or “get rid of pesky hangovers.” Another billboard promises “unrivaled potency” while asking users to “medicate responsibly.” […]

Teen Rehab for Marijuana Use Disorder This article presents some of the factors associated with teen marijuana use that appear to be driving more and more adolescents into teen treatment of one kind or another. The number of Americans supporting the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana (cannabis) products has been steadily increasing over […]

Marijuana has become one of the most popular drugs of abuse among young people, and according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most teens who start using this drug do so during the summer months, when free time is ample and supervision levels are low. Teens who use this drug on a […]

First of all, I want to acknowledge and validate the fact that you have a strong enough relationship with your child that they feel comfortable to come forward and talk to you about this issue. That is a huge hurdle that you have already successfully navigated. Keep the Dialog Going My first piece of advice […]

Edible marijuana products have been legalized for adult use in many states and have become more diverse and available. Smoking marijuana isn’t the only way that teens can abuse this drug. As the popularity of cannabis products grows, edible products containing the active chemicals in marijuana are becoming widely available to young people. Any food […]

Marijuana can be a complicated subject. While marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance and illegal according to the federal government, some states have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Two states, Colorado and Washington, have legalized the use of marijuana for over-the-counter, recreational use for individuals over the age […]

Synthetic marijuana has been around since the early 2000s, but the number of people abusing it has increased significantly in the past few years. The drug is growing in popularity among all age groups, but it has gained the most territory among teens and 20-somethings. In fact, new varieties of it are springing up with […]

Marijuana works by attaching to the cannabinoid receptors in different parts of the brain – namely, the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum and the hippocampus. In the short-term, this can negatively impact your child’s ability to learn and retain new knowledge at school, make positive social choices, and if allowed to continue, it […]

Ever since California legalized medical marijuana, there have been plenty of problems and confusing “gray areas” surrounding what constitutes legal and illegal marijuana use and marijuana growth throughout the state. While all counties in California are struggling to understand the legalities surrounding medical marijuana use and growth, the northern part of the state seems to […]

There are a number of different ways to ingest marijuana, and teenagers are among the most creative when it comes to finding new ways to use the drug. In an attempt to concentrate the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main ingredient in the plant, some people try to create offshoot substances that are derivatives of marijuana like […]

If you are the parent of a teenage boy who is abusing marijuana, you may suffer a great amount of stress from the idea that marijuana has often been touted as a “gateway” drug. Is it true that abuse problem with marijuana. The harm of going untreated for the abuse of marijuana is not limited […]

Cannabis is one of the most commonly abused substances among today’s teens, with 30% of surveyed high school seniors saying they’ve used cannabis in the past year. The legalization of marijuana, and its subsequent industrialization, across the country has made it more widely available—today, nearly all 50 states have some level of decriminalization or legalized […]

“Marijuana is not addictive.” It’s a statement repeated by drug dealers, blog writers, dedicated smokers and neophyte users. While it would be wonderful if this statement were true, science suggests that the statement is false. The 740,800 users who entered treatment programs for marijuana in 2009, according to the Treatment Episode Data Set, might concur. […]

How much is too much when it comes to marijuana use and driving? States that have legalized the drug for recreational purposes are still working to come up with a fair and accurate answer to that question that applies to all users across the board – those who smoke the drug regularly and thus have […]

Marijuana can be ingested by smoking or by eating it. When it is eaten, the buds of the plant are cooked in a fatty substance like butter to release the THC and then used in the making of a dish – often a baked item, like brownies or cookies. In these cases, there is very […]

A Physician’s Perspective By David E. Smith, MD, FASAM (Past President American Society of Addiction Medicine & current Chair of Addiction Medicine, Muir Wood Adolescent & Family Services) Marijuana—or cannabis—is by far the most widely used illicit drug in the United States (SAMHSA, 2011). In the past few years, marijuana use by teens has been […]

For adults over the age of 21 in the state of Washington, marijuana is now legal for recreational use. But it is still absolutely forbidden for anyone under the age of 21 to have or use the drug, and Washington State Governor Jay Inslee is doing his part to ensure that kids are protected as […]

President Barack Obama has famously opened up about his use of marijuana while in high school in Hawaii. Now that his term is coming to an end and the opinions of marijuana use are changing publicly and legislatively, he’s taking the opportunity to use his story to reach teenagers. As a cautionary tale and a […]

Advertisements may not be able to overtly sell illicit substances to children on TV or in magazines, but a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research says that a number of American young people in their teens and early 20s are receiving pro-marijuana messages on Twitter multiple times a day. Previous research […]

So much for “harmless.” Though for years many have called marijuana use during the teen years nothing more than a normal rite of passage, the scientific evidence to the contrary is adding up. Most recently, according to HealthDay, a new study found that even occasional use of marijuana during the teen years can add up […]

Proponents of legalization often assure those who are concerned about how the legalization of marijuana will impact teens that there will be limitations put into place to protect teens from accessing marijuana when it is legalized. Many push for restrictions on marketing marijuana to kids as well. However, despite the best efforts of law enforcement […]

Tracking drug and alcohol use among teens is the purpose of a number of different surveys and research studies each year. This year, the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland at College Park released a study that looked at the changes in drug and alcohol use among teens from the 1970s […]

It’s a concern that weighs heavily on the minds of parents and legislators across the country as more and more states move to legalize marijuana for more than just medicinal use: Will the drug more often fall into the hands of teens and, as a result, create higher rates of teen drug abuse? According to […]

As more and more states head to the polls to determine whether or not to legalize marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use, parents are wondering how best to address the topic with their teens—especially if they support legalization. Creating boundaries in a world with increasingly fewer restrictions placed on choices that could be potentially dangerous […]

A rising trend among teenagers is the use of a portable, discreet vaporizer called the G-Pen to smoke marijuana, and especially in large cities, these devices are relatively easy to find. In New York City, for example, smoke shops line an entire block in the East Village, attracting teens and college students alike. Their specialty […]

Advertising alcohol, cigarettes, and other addictive substances to children has been a long-standing practice—and a successful one at that—but one that the governing agencies have attempted to curb in recent decades. Marketing Techniques First, it was cigarettes that were no longer allowed to cater to children. Any ads with cartoons or talking animal mascots were […]

While two states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, approximately 20 states have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes. Lawmakers are scrambling to address the issues raised by lobbyists on both sides, and one of the biggest issues is the effect that legalization of the substance will have on teens. One of the big issues […]

As lobbyists continue to push for the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes, the states that have already passed laws allowing for recreational use are facing the difficulties that come with regulating a brand-new industry—and one that focuses on the sale of an addictive substance. In the states of Colorado and Washington, […]

Teen marijuana use has continued to rise over the past four decades. With lobbyists continuing to push for the legalization of marijuana, it is easy for many to forget about the myriad of studies that have been conducted by physicians and scientists that illustrate the negative health consequences of a marijuana addiction. More research is […]

No matter how the laws change in terms of legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes, it is always harmful to the development of teenager’s brain. No amount of experimentation with marijuana is harmless at this age, and if your son is using the drug for any purpose, don’t hesitate to put a stop to […]

Are drug-sniffing dogs an appropriate response to ferreting out drug use and abuse at home or is it overkill? Some parents have decided that no measure is too large when it comes to finding out whether or not their kids are hiding drugs at home. Some are exceedingly creative: hiding drugs in air-conditioning vents, pulling […]

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is addressing the 2012 Monitoring the Future study that found a significant increase in the use and abuse of marijuana among teens of all ages. For their part, the NIDA recognizes that teen marijuana abuse is a concern and is calling for more research to determine why the […]

It may be due to the increasingly positive public opinion about marijuana, the new laws that legalize the drug for medical use and even recreational use in some states, or it may be an increase of access to the drug caused by these same issues. But more and more teens are using marijuana. In addition, […]

Many are concerned that the decriminalization of marijuana in Washington State and the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado is sending the wrong message to teens about the nature of marijuana and the use of other illicit drugs. And it’s not just parents who are concerned. R. Gil Kerlikowske is the director of […]