Marijuana Facts about Youth

Marijuana Facts for Youth

Effects on the Brain and Development

·        If marijuana use starts in adolescence, the chances of addiction are 1 in 6.

·       The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s December 2012 Marijuana Drug Fact Information states: Research has shown that, in chronic use, marijuana’s abuse impact on learning and memory persists after the acute effects of the drug wear off, when marijuana use begin in adolescence, the effects may persist for many years.  

·       Science confirms that the adolescent brain, particularly the part of the brain that regulates the planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision-making and social behavior, is not fully developed until the early to mid-20’s. 

·       Well designed studies on marijuana and intelligence found that persistent, heavy use of marijuana by adolescents reduces IQ by as much as 8 points, when tested well into adulthood.

Effects on School Performance

·       According to data on marijuana use in youth from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2006), teens who grades averaged “D” were four times more likely to have smoked marijuana in the past year than students who grades averaged “A”.

·       Other studies have found that marijuana use is linked with dropping out of school and subsequent unemployment, social welfare dependence, and a lower self-reported quality of life then non-marijuana abusing people. The average age of starting use is 12 years & 4 months.

·    

·     In Colorado, prior to legalization (2011), 10.7% of youth were current marijuana users, compared to 7.6% nationally.  In Colorado Springs in 2012, positive tests for marijuana made up 57% of total drug screenings of high school students, compared to 33% in 2007.

·       “If Denver Public High School were considered a state, that state would have the highest past month marijuana use rate in the United States, behind New Hampshire.  Denver now has more marijuana dispensaries than liquor stores or licensed pharmacies.” – Dr Christian Thurstone, Denver Health Medical Center

From Missouri Substance Abuse Prevention Network, 428 E. Capitol Ave, Jefferson, MO 65101

Fetal Risk of Marijuana Use by Mothers

Fetal Risk of Marijuana Use by Mothers

Marijuana use during pregnancy crosses the placental & blood/brain barrier and increases the baby's susceptibility to:

• Lower birth weight
• Addiction later in life
• Birth defects and cancers
• Problem solving and learning difficulties later in life

Source:
E. Sassenrath, UC Davis Primate Research Center and Neuropsychopharmacology 2014

A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update

Adolescents Do What Every Day?

Have you ever wondered how many American teenagers use alcohol and illicit drugs on an average day? A new report from SAMHSA, 

A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update

, presents information about teens’ use of cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs “on an average day,” including their use of these substances for the first time.

SAMHSA first released a report of this nature in 2007 

(see 

SAMHSA News

 online, November/December 2007)

. 

The 2010 report offers updated data as well as a new section that focuses on drug-related emergency department visits.

*

Substance Use Data

The report reveals that on an average day in 2008, more than 1 million teens age 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes, more than half a million drank alcohol, and approximately 563,000 used marijuana 

(see chart)

.

In addition, 7,540 adolescents drank alcohol for the first time, more than 3,800 smoked cigarettes for the first time, and more than 4,300 used an illicit drug for the first time on an average day.

In the Emergency Room

On an average day in 2008, there were 465 emergency department visits for adolescents age 12 to 17 that involved the use of illegal drugs, alcohol, or the misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals.

Alcohol played a role in many of the visits—151 visits involved alcohol only and 54 involved alcohol taken with other drugs. Marijuana was involved in 129 visits.

In addition, SAMHSA estimates that, on any given day in 2008, 63 emergency department visits took place for drug-related suicide attempts among adolescents.

Treatment

The following numbers of teenagers under age 18 received substance abuse treatment on an average day in 2008: 76,484 were in outpatient treatment; 9,219 were clients in non-hospital residential treatment; and 762 received hospital inpatient treatment.

The report also provides data on the primary substances of abuse reported by teens in treatment and the major referral sources (e.g., criminal justice system, schools).

For more, download the 

full report

.

* The data presented in this report are from four 2008 SAMHSA data sources: the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), and the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN).

On an Average Day: Teen Substance Use

Enlarge image

Source:

 SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies (April 29, 2010). Figure 2. Number of Adolescents Age 12 to 17 Who Used Cigarettes, Alcohol, or Illicit Drugs on an Average Day: 2008 NSDUH. 

The OAS Report: A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update

. Rockville, MD.