Parent Connection
Page 4
Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States.
It is a hot topic whether legalized or not and it is more important than ever for
parents to protect their children’s health. Marijuana is a product of the hemp
plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical is THC and of the roughly 400
chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most. It is a
mind-altering chemical that gives marijuana users a high. It has been found that the amount of THC in
marijuana is 30% higher than that from a generation ago.
Many users roll loose marijuana into a “joint” or smoke it in a pipe. Marijuana can also be
vaporized and concentrated. In states where it has been legalized more and more “edibles” are seen in
retail establishments.
Marijuana’s short term effects can include problems with memory and learning; distorted
perception, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination and increased heart rate.
Long term effects has been found similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs.
Dr. Ruth Potee spoke to parents on Thursday, March 9th at Ellington
Middle School about teen brain development and substance use. Dr. Potee
focused a lot of her talk on marijuana and stressed the impact it can have on the
underdeveloped brain. The adult brain continues to develop until the age of 25-
26 years old and this is the time many youth try marijuana and other substances.
The later a person starts using a substance the less the chance of it leading to
problems later with cognitive abilities or addiction. Dr. Potee stressed there is
research that shows there is a loss of adult IQ with marijuana dependence in
adolescence. Those who developed marijuana dependence before age 18 showed
IQ decline in adulthood. Many studies show that adolescents who use marijuana heavily scored worse
than non-users on tests of attention, verbal learning, memory and processing speed. EVEN when they
are not high. Furthermore, quitting in adulthood did not restore functioning in those who began in
adolescence.
Her advice: Talk Early, Talk Often, “delay, delay, delay or avoid altogether!”
Marijuana Laws
Medical Marijuana has been legal in Connecticut since 2012. Recreational marijuana is still
illegal but has been decriminalized to no prison time or criminal record for first-time possession of
small amounts. Connecticut lawmakers are currently having hearings on marijuana legalization. The
legalization bill would prohibit pot use by anyone under 21; limit legal possession to no more than one
ounce and allow home cultivation of five plants per adult. The legislation would allow for five types of
marijuana businesses, all licensed and regulated by the state: pot retailers, lounges, cultivation
facilities, product manufacturers, and laboratories.
Massachusetts legalized recreational marijuana in November of 2016. Connecticut residents
may be going to Massachusetts to purchase marijuana, however, transporting it across state lines is a
federal crime.
Parent Connection
Page 5
Prom and Graduation Season— Social Host Laws
That exciting time of year for teens is approaching:
prom and graduation. Many teens will need to
decide whether alcohol is part of their celebrations.
While underage drinking rates are decreasing for
teens, 90% of that consumption is binge drinking
which is defined as 4 or more drinks in a period of two
hours. Thirty-one percent of high school teens report
that it is likely they or their friends will be under the
influence of drugs or alcohol sometime during the prom and graduation season. The location of many
of that teen drinking will be in your home or your teen’s friends’ homes.
The State of Connection Social Host law was revised and went into effect on October 1, 2012.
The revision included an increase in fines for parents who provide alcohol to underage teens in their
homes or do not make a reasonable effort to stop drinking in their homes. It was changed from an
infraction to a class A misdemeanor. You don’t have to physically witness their drinking to be
penalized. Visit www.cga.ct.gov and search for “Social Host Law” to see the entire law.
Teens whose parents told them underage drinking is completely unacceptable are 80% less
likely to drink. Sgt. Brian Santa, of the Ellington Resident State Trooper office urges parents to be
aware and not turn a blind eye to what their teens are doing during and after prom and graduation
AND in their homes. The consequences are not worth the risk. Know where your teens are going and
who they will be with.
“If you see something, ask questions, “ said Sgt. Santa. “Be your own detective. It’s in your
house. You have everything to lose.”
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age
Ellington Youth Services and Ellington Middle School invite all parents of teens and
tweens to view a special screening of the movie “Screenagers.”
Are you watching kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second
attention span? Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw that with her own kids and
learned that the average kid spends 6.5 hours a day looking at screens. She wondered
about the impact of all this time and about the friction occurring in homes and schools
around negotiating screen time—friction she knew all too well.
In SCREENAGERS, as with her award-winning documentaries on mental health, Delaney takes a deeply
personal approach as she probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including her own, to explore
struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through poignant, and
unexpectedly funny stories, along with surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scie