ABUSE_MAGAZINE_ID_ Illinois ABUSE Magazine | Page 25

ABUSE MAGAZINE Ph o to 825 Malerich Drive • Lincoln, IL 217-735-2314 So ur ce :c as ao flc “We are proud to be a drug free workplace and proud to support our future leaders in their efforts to remain Drug Free.” .o rg Photo Source: straightupvc.org 217-525-0058 Kids, popping pills is a prescription for disaster. We support preventative education 100%! 133 N. Grand Ave. East • Springfield, IL 12th graders, that number is 54.8 percent. Additionally, most high school students do not think that it is a problem to try marijuana once. Only 18.6 percent of high school seniors see problems associated with one time marijuana use. One of the dangers of marijuana is that it is considered a “gateway” drug. That is, those who use marijuana are more likely to move on to “harder” and more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that the younger someone is when he or she uses marijuana, the more likely he or she is to use other drugs when they reach adulthood. Photo Source: discover-films.com Here’s how some of the “harder” drugs compare in terms of use: Cocaine: 62 percent of adults who had used marijuana before the age of 15 have used cocaine at some point during their lives. For those who had never used marijuana, that number is 0.6 percent. Heroin: Those who use marijuana in youth are more likely to use heroin. That number is 9 percent as compared to 0.1 percent for those who had never used marijuana. Psychotherapeutic drugs: 53.9 percent of those who used marijuana before the age of 15 report that they have also tried to use psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical uses. The rate for those who have not used marijuana is 5.1 percent. Kids, Put the FREEZE on ABUSE and Stay Cool! 3121 Atlanta St. Springfield, IL (217) 679-5059 (217) 726-7217 We are proud to help STOMP out Bullying! 2501 Wabash Ave #137 • Springfield, IL It is clear that marijuana use can pre-dispose people for substance abuse later in life. Even with marijuana use on the decline in general, it is clear that with 2.1 million people using marijuana for the first time each year, this is still an issue. Proud to keep our kids on Abuse Free Shores. We care & we get involved. 1330 1/2 West Grove Rd. - Decatur, IL 217-424-6184 abusemagazine.org | Illinois Spring/Summer 2014 | 25