Teen Drug Help
Teen Pot Smokers Prone to Depression, Anxiety, Study Finds
Teenagers who smoke pot on a daily basis may be more susceptible to depression and anxiety in adulthood because of damage inflicted on their developing brains. This finding comes from a new study conducted by McGill University in Canada.
Scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre utilized adolescent and adult lab rats to conduct the study. The researchers found that after 20 days of exposure to cannabinoids (the active ingredient in marijuana), only the adolescent rats were negatively affected.
The adolescent rats exhibited a decrease in brain serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is known to be involved in emotional perception and that has been linked to depression. In addition, the adolescent rats showed increased levels of norepinephrine, which plays a key role in the fight-or-flight response. Increased levels of this chemical could contribute to heightened anxiety.
Gabriella Gobbi, one of the study's co-authors, commented on the findings: "Just because marijuana is a plant doesn't mean that it is harmless. Our study demonstrated that the cannabinoid, when consumed daily, can induce a permanent change in the brain."
(Source: www.canada.com)
Labels: anxiety, depression, marijuana, pot
Florida Teen Charged with Felonies for Pot Brownies
According to the online student newspaper for Florida A&M University, The Famuan Online, a Florida teen was recently charged with nine felony counts of poisoning food and water after he baked marijuana into brownies and fed them to two teachers and seven fellow students without their knowledge.
Every person who ate the brownies experienced adverse effects, and one student was taken to the hospital. The teen did not think that the marijuana's effects would be significant when he served the brownies.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, can cause allergic reactions, including rashes, breathing difficulty, fatigue and unusual mood swings.
According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, short-term effects associated with marijuana use can include loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, dry mouth, anxiety, problems with memory and learning, and trouble with thinking and problem solving.
(Source: www.thefamuanonline.com)
Labels: drug-use, marijuana, pot
Pot Potency at an All-Time High
The potency of marijuana has been on the rise for the past three decades and is now at an all-time high. Average potency, measured by the concentration of the psychoactive chemical THC, is currently around 10 percent. According to government data, the average THC content of marijuana has increased by more than 150 percent in the past 25 years, from less than 4 percent in 1983 to 10.1 percent in 2008.
According to Mahmoud ElSohly, director of the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project, of the thousands of marijuana samples that his labs test each year, many contain a THC content of over 30 percent. ElSohly predicts that average levels of THC concentration will continue to rise in the coming years before topping off at around 15 or 16 percent. Authorities are particularly worried about the increasing potency because high levels of THC have been shown to affect the brain much differently than lower levels. Users of higher potency marijuana are more likely to experience significant side effects such as dysphoria, paranoia, irritability, inability to concentrate, and insomnia.
(Sources: www.redorbit.com)
Labels: marijuana, pot, weed
Teen Meth, Pot Abuse on the Decline
Teen Meth, Pot Abuse on the Decline
Teenagers are cutting back in their use of marijuana and methamphetamine, according to a study from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Methamphetamine use decreased by 25 percent since 2005, and is now used by three percent of teens. Marijuana use declined 24 percent since 1988.
The Partnership attributed the decline to more communication about drugs between parents and adolescents. The survey indicated that 37 percent of teens learn about drugs from their parents, and that group is 50 percent less likely to abuse drugs.
However, abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as cough syrups shows no decline. One in five teens or a projected 4.7 million said they tried these drugs at least once, and a projected 2.5 million used them in the past year.
"This risky behavior is still not in the parent's radar, many of whom don't realize that when abused or used without prescriptions, these medications are every bit as dangerous as illegal drugs," said Connie Berhost, an executive with a Missouri drug action center for teens.
Labels: drugs, meth, pot
Study Shows Teen Pot Use Linked to Health Problems
A recent report published by researchers at the University of British Columbia indicates that many young people in British Columbia use marijuana for "therapy" or "medicinal use" instead of for "recreation." Approximately one-third of young people interviewed for the study reported using marijuana to address health problems such as depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness.
Area physician Dr. Pam Allardyce commented that although this type of use is fairly widespread, many young people she sees are trying to move toward more conventional treatments: "It's not surprising at all [that they are] using it to self medicate. ... They come in in their 19 or 20's and they're trying to seek employment. ... They have met a girlfriend who's not accepting of their marijuana use or there's something socially that's caused them to have to deal with it."
(Source: www.ctvbc.ctv.ca)
Labels: health problems, pot, teen drug abuse, weed
Teen Marijuana Use and Time Away From Home Both Decreasing
A new study from the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems indicates that teens are, on average, less likely to use marijuana and are spending less time out with friends. The study examined survey responses from over 93,000 15-year-olds in 31 European and North American countries. Researchers noted a decrease in marijuana use in most of the 31 countries, though a few countries did report increased levels of use. Countries showing the largest increases in use included England, Portugal, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Canada. Marijuana use also increased among 15-year-olds in Estonia, Lithuania, Malta, and among Russian girls.
The average number of nights spent out with friends decreased in most countries. In the United States, the rate fell slightly to two nights per week for both males and females. Significantly, researchers noted a link between more nights spent out and greater use of marijuana. The researchers hypothesize that parent disapproval of marijuana drives teens to use only when they are away from home. (Sources: www.redorbit.com)
Labels: pot, smoking
