WHY DO TEENS USE MARIJUANA
FEDERAL Upholstering Co.
641-423-8772
We are proud to help
CLEAN UP abuse in
our community for
our youth!
Question: Why Do Teens Use Marijuana?
641-423-9531
“We are proud to support our future
leaders in their efforts to remain drug free.
We care & we get involved!”
2800 4th Street SW • Mason City, IA
AFFORDABLE TOWING
“Proud to Tow Abuse out
of our youths lives!”
905 S. President Ave.
Mason City, IA
(641) 423-1035
FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
FOR HEALTHY LIVING
FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Answer: Children and young teens
start using marijuana for many reasons.
Curiosity and the desire to fit into a social
group are common reasons. Certainly,
youngsters who have already begun to
smoke cigarettes and/or use alcohol
are at high risk for marijuana use.
Also, research suggests that the use of
alcohol and drugs by other family members
plays a strong role in whether children
start using drugs. Parents, grandparents,
and older brothers and sisters in the
home are models for children to follow.
Some young people who take drugs do not
get along with their parents. Some have a
network of friends who use drugs and urge
them to do the same (peer pressure). All
aspects of a child’s environment - home,
school, neighborhood - help to determine
whether the child will try drugs.
1527 N. Federal Ave. - Mason City, IA
641-423-9115
14
| Iowa - 2014 | abusemagazine.org
Self-Medicating Teens
Children who become more heavily
involved with marijuana can become
dependent, and that is their prime
reason for using the drug. Others mention
psychological coping as a reason for
their use - to deal with anxiety, anger,
depression, boredom, and so forth. But
marijuana use is not an effective method
for coping with life’s problems, and staying
high can be a way of simply not dealing with
the problems and challenges of growing up.
Researchers have found that children
and teens (both male and female) who
are physically and sexually abused are
at greater risk than other young people
of using marijuana and other drugs and
of beginning drug use at an early age.
Source: http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/pot/f/mjp_faq06.htm
Teen ‘Self Medication’ For
Depression Leads To More Serious
Mental Illness, New Report Reveals
Millions of American teens report experiencing weeks of hopelessness and loss of
interest in normal daily activities and many
of these depressed teens are using marijuana and other drugs, making their situation worse, according to a new White House
report released today. The report, from the
White House Office of National Drug Control
Policy reveals that marijuana use can worsen
depression and lead to more serious mental
disorders, such as schizophrenia, anxiety,
and even suicide.
“We are proud to supply our youth
with the tools they need to stay
abuse free!”
?
Why Do Teens
Use Marijuana
Research shows that some teens are
using drugs to alleviate feelings of depression (“self-medicating”), when in fact, using
marijuana can compound the problem. The
report, released to coincide with May’s
Mental Health Awareness Month, shows a
staggering two million teens felt depressed
at some point during the past year, and
depressed teens are more than twice as likely
as non-depressed teens to have used marijuana during that same period. Depressed
teens are also almost twice as likely to have
used illicit drugs as non-depressed teens.
They are also more than twice as likely as
their peers to abuse or become dependent
on marijuana. Marijuana use is associated
with depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts.
“Marijuana is not the answer. Too many
young people are making a bad situation
worse by using marijuana in a misguided
effort to relieve their symptoms of depression,” said John P. Walters, Director, National
Drug Control Policy. “Parents must not dismiss teen moodiness as a passing phase. Look
closely at your teen’s behavior because it
could be a sign of something more serious.”
Although marijuana use among teens has
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509105348.htm