So the good news from the annual Monitoring the Future Survey is that teen drug use is trending down. But the title of a press release from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research reports on an additional finding that should cause us to wake up, take notice, and start talking: “Teen use of any illicit drug other than marijuana at new low, same true for alcohol.”
With legalization of marijuana happening in a growing number of states, it’s easy for kids to buy the lie that marijuana is safe, harmless, benign, and non-addictive. Although the pro-marijuana crew argues the same, this is just not true.
Sadly, for this generation of teenagers, marijuana has become what smoking conventional tobacco-based cigarettes was for generations past. It’s for that reason that I want to share three helpful resources you can use to inform both yourself and the kids you know and love about the marijuana use and the need to talk about the dangers of substance abuse.
First, here at CPYU we’ve put together a helpful little fact sheet on “Signs and Symptoms of Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse.” Parents, this is one for you to keep handy. Youth workers, be a hero this weekend and pass this little tool on to parents.
Second, we’ve also put together a trend alert, “My Child is Abusing Drugs and Alcohol – What Do I Do?” Youth workers, this is another on to pass along to parents.
Finally, here’s a helpful infographic that serves to help you see just what marijuana does to the teen brain. It’s a helpful tool in your preventive arsenal as you talk to your kids about the dangers of marijuana.
