MARIJUANA – Florida’s Next Battleground
While the good news is that overall substance
abuse has continued to decrease, anti-drug prevention efforts still have an
uphill battle against marijuana to keep Florida teens safe and informed about
the dangers of this harmful gateway drug. The state’s medical marijuana
initiative has gained momentum with its stated intent for legalization to help
those debilitated by serious diseases, but the danger is that this initiative
could lead to the perception that marijuana is not a highly dangerous substance
and to eventual legalization of cannabis.
Why must
you oppose the legalization of marijuana, even medi-pot? We have been fortunate in our community that
statistics for teen marijuana abuse have been on the lower side, and we want to
keep it that way! Allowing medical marijuana to be readily available may spark
a host of unexpected problems with the likelihood that it could wind up in the
hands of teens causing dangerous if not deadly consequences. According to a
2012 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nationwide more teenagers
are using and abusing marijuana at an increasingly younger age. According to
the NIDA report, 17 percent of 10th graders and about 23 percent of
12th graders polled had used marijuana in the past month. The higher
rates are largely due to the popularity of marijuana being on the rise and
fewer teens seeing the risk. Is there any coincidence that perceived risk by
teens has gone down as a result of more public conversation about medical
marijuana and the legalization of pot in certain states? Can we really afford
to take that risk?
Look at
the facts – Marijuana is a
harmful and addictive drug. It is known as a gateway to prescription drug and
illegal narcotics abuse, but it is also harmful by itself. The earlier a person
begins to use marijuana, the more likely that person is to become addicted.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active chemical, produces the high that
users obtain from marijuana use. The level of THC has increased in today’s
street marijuana, which makes it more addictive and causes disorientation, poor
judgment and memory lapse. It may also have unknown chemicals mixed in, so
users often don’t really know what they are smoking.
Effects
of marijuana use
– Short-term effects of marijuana may include problems with memory and
learning; distorted sight, sound, time, touch; trouble thinking and
problem-solving; loss of coordination; increased heart rate and anxiety. Regular
use of marijuana and THC may lead to increased risk for some kinds of cancer,
breathing and respiratory or immune system problems. Marijuana contains some of
the same cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. THC has been found to
weaken or damage cells and tissues in the body that protect from disease. Scientific
studies also show the brains of adolescents are still developing until early to
mid 20s, and developing brains are very susceptible to the negative effect of
drugs.
Marijuana
is a harmful and illegal drug, but still widely accessible to teens wherever
they live or attend school. Parents,
make it your business to know what is going on with your teen, and to stay
educated and informed. Clink on the link below to read a recent U.S. News article
published on NBCNews.com about the Drug Policy Alliance and its mission to
legalize marijuana and eventually all drugs:
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/27/21578665-legalize-all-drugs-the-man-behind-loosening-pot-laws-in-us-eyes-new-goal?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/27/21578665-legalize-all-drugs-the-man-behind-loosening-pot-laws-in-us-eyes-new-goal?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1
