Teens & Today’s Marijuana
There is a reason marijuana is known as “the gateway drug”. Easily accessible and considered by many adults to be relatively harmless, many teenagers who find they like the high marijuana provides will move on to other, even more serious drugs.
Many who think of marijuana as a “harmless” drug, do so because when they think of the drug, they are thinking of the marijuana they may have smoked back in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s. However, selective breeding and sophisticated growing techniques over the past twenty years, including hydroponics and special lighting systems means today’s marijuana is much different today.
The active ingredient in marijuana is Delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.This is the chemical that gives marijuana users their high.
In the 1960′s marijuana contained about 1% THC. In the 1970′s it was up to 4%.Today’s marijuana contains at least 10% THC, if not more. That means most of the marijuana being smoked by teens today is at least ten times more potent than what their parents may have smoked when they were teenagers.
Few teenagers will put themselves in the position of being around their parents when they are high. However, there are other indicators of a teen smoking pot. Parents who suspect their teenager is using marijuana should keep their eyes open for these indicators.
Cigarettes are also a good indication of teenage marijuana use. Many teens begin cigarette smoking to hide the smell of marijuana smoke, or to explain the presence of matches or lighters in their possession.
Amanda Gordon went from an honor roll student to a drug-using teenager herself. Today, she is pursuing a PhD in Psychology to help teens and their parents deal with troubling issues including teenage marijuana use. Visit her website at http://www.helpingyourteen.com
