Working Together
Making the
Greater Five Towns
A Drug-Free Community
The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC
207 Grove Avenue
Cedarhurst, NY 11516
(516) 569-6733
PARENT
ACADEMY
Part Two

Cannabis, also known as marijuana aka pot or dope, among many names for many years was viewed as a harmless recreational drug used during a phase of life. Many teenagers tried it out in high school or even college or experimented with it during a phase of liberal rebellion.

Parents often still view the drug through this lens as a phase drug that will not affect their child beyond of the moment of usage.

Unfortunately, this notion is wrong!
The facts about marijuana use indicate that it can have a significant impact on a  teen’s brain development , memory, IQ, and overall motivation .

While for some kids experimentation may be the case, for many others marijuana plays a more severe role in their lives and may escalate to dependency or addiction .
Here is How We Know

Anything we consume that affects the Nucleus Acumbens (part of the pleasure/reward pathway in the brain) has the potential to be addictive. 

  • The Nucleus Acumbens has a high concentration of CB1 receptors which process THC - the cannabinoid in marijuana that makes a user high. This means marijuana affects the Nucleus Acumbens and can be addictive. Things like antibiotics do not affect the Nucleus Acumbens and as a result we don’t get addicted to them.

  •  Marijuana also meets the criteria for Biological Addiction:
  • Tolerance -- to achieve the original level of “high,” many users must consume more marijuana

  • Withdrawal symptoms -- discomfort (mild to severe) may be experienced when a user quits consuming marijuana

  • Continued use despite negative consequences -- some users cannot stop using even when negative things occur as a result of their marijuana use

  • The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates 30% of marijuana users have a Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). 

  • A CUD is a spectrum that includes addiction and heavy or persistent use, whereby a user experiences issues as a result of having their lives organized around the drug.

  • It is believed by addiction scientists that the extremely high levels of THC found in most marijuana products today is contributing to the addictive nature of the drug today.
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It’s time for parents to be aware!








If you do not use pot today, you don’t understand much about it. Marijuana possibly smoked in your youth (as recent as the 1990s) contained on average 3% thc (the cannabinoid in pot that makes a user high).

Marijuana growers methodically develop plants, often in labs, with incredibly high THC content, which is the primary ingredient which gets individuals “high”, all in an effort to increase the strength of the drug.

  • Plant-form marijuana - is generally not available with less than 18% thc and most of it contains thc levels in the mid-20s.
  • Liquid and solid concentrates - forms did not exist 20 years ago.
  • Liquids are typically “vaped” and can vary in potency 18%, 25%, 50%, 85% THC is seen.

  • Solids are “dabbed” and are nearly 100% pure THC.

  • Edibles - the “pot brownie” has given way to an unending array of edible products (food and drink) with varying potencies - all strong.

  • You will find gummy bears with 18mg of THC, candy bars with 420mg of THC, cookies with 1000mg of THC and everything in between.
HOW SUBSTANCES MAY AFFECT YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN—AND FUTURE
  • The brain is a complex organ playing a role in everything from the actions a person chooses to take to how they solve problems to how they create memories.

  • Marijuana can impact your child’s brain - and the actions, decisions, and learning that affect their future. This is especially true during the teen years, when your child’s brain is still developing and is more vulnerable to the effects of drugs and alcohol.

  • Scientists are learning more all the time about marijuana’s effects on the brain. There is now a large body of evidence—including several studies that have tracked people from all around the world throughout many years of their lives—showing that early (before age 18), frequent, and continuous marijuana use may have significantly negative impacts on the brain.

  • The negative impacts on the brain may lead to negative impacts in a person’s life, including mental health issues and lower education and job prospects.
THC: A chemical that disrupts the brain’s normal functioning
  • The main psychoactive chemical in marijuana that causes the feeling of being “high” is called delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC).

  • When your child uses marijuana, the THC moves through his bloodstream to organs throughout his body—including his brain. Here, it attaches to receptors (called cannabinoid receptors) on certain neurons (the nerve cells that work to send and receive messages from the brain to other parts of the body) and disrupts their normal functioning.

  • Since the teen brain is still developing, adolescents have a higher risk of developing an addiction than adults. THC causes the brain to release the chemical dopamine, which is connected to the development of cravings and addiction.

  • Studies show that people who begin using marijuana before age 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop what is called marijuana use disorder. The most severe forms of this disorder are considered addiction, a disease where the user has a hard time quitting, even if they experience negative consequences from their drug use.

  • Bottom line: It doesn’t matter what the state laws are for adults. Marijuana is dangerous and also illegal for teenagers.

Parents need to understand updated (21st century) basics on alcohol and other drugs:

  • Adult addiction is now seen as a childhood onset disease

  • 90% of adult addicts started using something before 18

  • A child has a 50% greater chance of becoming addicted, if addiction runs in their family

  • Parental influence in a teen’s decision to use or not use is statistically significant
DOWNLOAD

MARIJUANA FACTS FOR TEENS
If you know or suspect your
child or teenager
may be using substances,
please reach out to
Saving Lives Five Towns
Drug & Alcohol Coalition
for help.

We are here to ensure you have the information and support you need.

To join our Community Coalition to help reduce
youth drug and alcohol misuse in the Greater Five Towns,
please contact Susan Blauner, Director Substance Abuse Prevention, Awareness and Education

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"bringing about community awareness to address youth mental health and addiction issues and to reduce youth drug and alcohol use through education, media advocacy, increased enforcement and changes in policies."