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Marijuana Attracts Gen X More Than Tipple or Nicotine

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Marijuana Attracts Gen X More Than Tipple or Nicotine

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With the clamor for marijuana legalization reaching a fever pitch, it should not be surprising to know about the Gen X's indulgence in weed.

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With the clamor for marijuana legalization reaching a fever pitch, it should not be surprising to know about the Gen X's indulgence in weed. Last year a survey carried out by Marist Poll and Yahoo News revealed that more than 70 percent of the parents thought that it was safer for their child than alcohol and nicotine. Overall, parents were concerned about the impact of marijuana on the child's health. However, those who had experimented with pot were less apprehensive than those who had never used it.

It is also increasingly becoming evident that youngsters are not averse to the occasional blunt smoking. A recent research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) on a representative sample of 275,000 people aged 12 and 21 found that 8 percent of the respondents involved in the study in 2014 had weed as the first drug. It was about twice (4.8 percent) the number reported in 2004. Though the results might seem unexpected and significant, the researchers beg to differ. According to them, the spike could be attributed to the following two factors:

A significant decline in the number of youngsters who smoke (9 percent in 2014 as opposed to 21 percent in 2004).

A majority of youngsters deciding to refrain from the use of any kind of substance - drugs, alcohol or nicotine.

Side effects of weed

Though marijuana has become a popular drug of choice, it is not without dangers. Some side effects associated with marijuana use are given below:

As weed causes dizziness, people are advised not to drive after smoking a joint. The dizziness is more pronounced when one tries to stand up immediately after smoking a joint. Weed is also known to impact centers of the brain associated with hunger, and therefore users experience a case of the munchies after smoking a blunt. It is more likely that a regular weed taker is potbellied, has little control over his habit, and is remorseful of his ways.

While weed has been described variously as a cure for many illnesses, from cancer to depression, it is also known to make a person paranoid. Paranoia is a state when a person starts imagining, hearing, and seeing things. It is more evident in people living with psychiatric disorders like depression. Marijuana is also known to increase the risks of anxiety attacks.

It is also observed that the risks of a heart attack increases within the first few hours of a person smoking a joint. Studies in the past have concluded that chronic marijuana abuse increases the incidence of heart attack, stroke and arrhythmias.

As weed is responsible for cognitive decline, it gets in the way of an individual's ability to perform simple everyday tasks such as driving a car or taking care of a baby. Mothers who have been smoking weed play with their child's health as the secondhand smoke is detrimental for the baby. Also, as their cognitive abilities are impaired, the risks of dropping the baby, smothering it or leaving it unfed for long are immense.

Whether it is weed or cigarette, any substance that is inhaled has the potential to affect the lungs and the airways. Gradually, as it is with a cigarette habit, an individual may develop a chronic cough, lung infections and respiratory disorders.

Quitting the habit

Youngsters should best refrain from nicotine, marijuana or any other substance. If an adolescent has fallen prey to it, there is still a hope. Teen marijuana abuse can be treated successfully provided one is committed to sobriety. Sovereign Health's Rancho San Diego adolescent treatment program combines medications and therapies for helping teens with marijuana addiction.

Our teen marijuana addiction treatment commences with a detailed patient assessment. Our clinicians assess each patient for all underlying conditions. Based on this assessment, they work out a treatment program tailored to meet the patient's individual needs. Call our 24/7 helpline (866) 512-1981 for more information on our teen marijuana addiction treatment.

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Marijuana Attracts Gen X More Than Tipple or Nicotine

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With the clamor for marijuana legalization reaching a fever pitch, it should not be surprising to know about the Gen X's indulgence in weed. Last year a survey carried out by Marist Poll and Yahoo News revealed that more than 70 percent of the parents thought

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Why DUI Deaths Rise Among Teens in Spring And Summer

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Why DUI Deaths Rise Among Teens in Spring And Summer

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Some teens, however, take this quote from Robin Williams literally too far. Having studied hard all through the year, they believe spring and summer, synonymous with prom nights and graduation celebrations, are the right time to get the spirits flowing.

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Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'

Some teens, however, take this quote from Robin Williams literally too far. Having studied hard all through the year, they believe spring and summer, synonymous with prom nights and graduation celebrations, are the right time to get the spirits flowing. As they toast to the memory of college days and the struggles they lived through, it is customary for the young boys on the brink of adulthood to binge on alcohol and drugs and get sloshed.

It is apparent that most of the adolescents who hit the bottle on prom nights and weekends do not consider it a risky practice. Instead, they see it as a rite of passage, an act of growing up; and one who does not subscribe to these rituals is seen as an outsider.

A survey by Monitoring for the Future, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has confirmed the existence of these beliefs among most of the teens. Among those surveyed, a resounding 45.7 percent did not associate binge drinking on weekends with risk. It is an acceptable part of college life even if one has to bypass the ban on drinking on campuses. It was also apparent from the survey that while there was a decline in alcohol consumption among the 8th,10th and 12th graders, it remained the substance of choice for most teens, probably because it was more readily accessible (from their parent's cabinet) and involved less run-ins with the law.

Highlighting the trend of increase in accidents in the prom and graduation seasons, Kurt Gregory Erickson, president of Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), says, "In 2016, an average of ten teenagers died in U.S. motor vehicle crashes every single day during the summer months." This was way more than the fatalities in other months of the year.

A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in the year 2016, 24 percent of the young drivers in the ages 15 to 20, who died in automobile crashes, had been drinking at the time of their death. The national highway traffic safety authority noted that the BAC or the blood alcohol concentration level in most instances was 0.01 grams/deciliter or higher. Furthermore, nearly 19 percent of the youngsters killed in crashes had a BAC of 0.08 g/dL or higher, indicating they had imbibed more than the acceptable quantities of alcohol.

What parents can do to help

Making a case for parental involvement in preventing adolescent alcohol accidents, Erickson says, " Make no mistake about it, parents play an integral role in when and if their children drink alcohol." The following tips are simply meant to reinforce their efforts to foster a healthy and safe summer for them and their teenage children:

Be aware of the social media that kids used, as many are preying on youngsters by offering them a fun time with no strings attached.

Lay down the rule clearly at home and outside. No alcohol.

Avoid serving alcohol to the teen's friends in a party or getting involved in it.

Know how teen drinking harms the child.

Encourage the child to seek help in case the need arises.

Instill confidence in the child so that he/she can say no.

Teen drinking injurious for health

Boys who drink underage have higher risks of becoming victims of a violent crime or participating in it. As it is evident, DUI results in accidents. As one drinks one too many, it colors his/her judgment and lowers inhibitions. As a result, the teen may engage in behaviors that are unsuitable to his/her age or risky. In addition, as it is with drugs, an adolescent who drinks frequently, is more likely to fall victim of chronic addiction in future.

Apart from the physiological impact, bad breath, bad teeth, slurred speech, lower heart rate and visibility problems, a teen drinking frequently could also be beset with depression and anxiety. The only way out for such teens is alcohol addiction recovery. There are alcohol addiction programs that address chronic alcohol abuse and dependency among teens.

Seeking recovery from alcohol addiction

One of the best, in the field of addiction treatment, Sovereign Health's teen alcohol addiction rehab program is ideal for adolescent patients to recover in a tranquil and beautiful setting. The team of trained doctors, nurses, psychologists and support staff adopts an integrated approach in combining traditional treatment modalities with experiential treatments administered in a safe, secure and friendly environment.

A comprehensive alcohol treatment for teens might include detox, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family counseling and motivational therapy as well as alternative therapies such as expressive arts, music and equine therapy. For more information on our top-notch teen alcohol rehab, call our 24/7 helpline (866) 512-1981.

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Why DUI Deaths Rise Among Teens in Spring And Summer

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Some teens, however, take this quote from Robin Williams literally too far. Having studied hard all through the year, they believe spring and summer, synonymous with prom nights and graduation celebrations, are the right time to get the spirits flowing.

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Probably we would all agree that the kids these days are smarter than us, be it in operating various gadgets and apps, scoring in academics, or even with drugs.

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Probably we would all agree that the kids these days are smarter than us, be it in operating various gadgets and apps, scoring in academics, or even with drugs.

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Probably we would all agree that the kids these days are smarter than us, be it in operating various gadgets and apps, scoring in academics, or even with drugs.

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Probably we would all agree that the kids these days are smarter than us, be it in operating various gadgets and apps, scoring in academics, or even with drugs. As teens, while the baby boomers were busy experimenting with marijuana and other drugs - all in the name of having an ethereal experience, the millennials largely steered clear of harmful substances. The latest Student Drug-Use Survey by PreventionFirst!, a coalition for a drug-free Greater Cincinnati, came out with some interesting findings on substance use among adolescents in the region.

Conducted every two years, nearly 33,000 students from grades 7 to 12 participated in this survey carried out in the fall of 2017. The survey indicated that a majority of students in Greater Cincinnati and the Tristate area were not in favor of abusing substances. This gives something to cheer about to a nation that has been reeling under the opioid epidemic. More than 63,600 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016, including two-third deaths due to prescription opioids.

Some other highlights of the survey based on the past 30-day drug use are as follows:

A resounding 97.6 percent of the responders reported not using prescription drugs for nonmedical conditions.

Usually, teenagers get hooked on cigarettes in the school days due to academic, parental and peer pressure. However, around 95 percent of the participants indicated not using cigarettes in the past 30-day period.

Though marijuana emerged as the drug of choice among adults, children were not inclined to use it. Approximately 92 percent of the responders reported not using weed.

Lastly, though the percentage of students not abusing alcohol in the past 30 days was slightly lower than the above-mentioned percentages, it is still a significant improvement. According to the survey, about 86.3 percent of the surveyed students said they did not indulge in alcohol abuse.

High peer and parental disapproval

Another significant finding of the survey relates to high peer and parental disapproval. As parents, peers and friends are often involved in the decisions a young individual makes, it is heartening to see the finding related to increased peer and parental disapproval of different types of substances. Among all, the survey indicated that the highest parental and peer disapproval rate was witnessed in the case of nonmedical prescription drugs, which stood at 95.6 percent and 87.6 percent, respectively.

Evidently, most teens have been cautious in the wake of the current opioid crisis. The survey highlights a consistent improvement in parental and peer disapproval of substance abuse among adolescents. Apparently, as many of them have witnessed firsthand struggles due to an addiction to prescription drugs, they are justifiably wary of these drugs. Most of the respondents considered nicotine and prescription drugs more harmful to health than marijuana and alcohol. PreventionFIRST! aims to use the data to support youngsters struggling with substance abuse by enunciating a comprehensive multipronged approach.

Make healthy choices to lead a drug-free life

Most teens start abusing easily accessible substances like prescription drugs primarily for recreational and experimental purposes under peer pressure. Others start using them to cope with their anxiety or depression. Due to the misplaced perception, they tend to consider prescription drugs as safe and abuse them with impunity. With effective controls in the community, teenagers can be dissuaded from indulging in prescription drug abuse. Being a vicious cycle, it is often difficult for users to get out of the trappings of any drug abuse. Before the problem becomes too severe to control, it is essential to spread more awareness among both youngsters and their loved ones.

Sovereign Health, a leading provider of medical services for substance abuse and mental health, understands the consequences of teen prescription drug addiction. Our Rancho San Diego adolescent facility offers a host of necessary treatment procedures and behavioral therapies to patients. For more information about our state-of-the-art drug rehabs for adolescents, you may call at 24/7 helpline number (866) 512-1981. Talk to our representative about teen prescription drug addiction treatment.

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Probably we would all agree that the kids these days are smarter than us, be it in operating various gadgets and apps, scoring in academics, or even with drugs. As teens, while the baby boomers were busy experimenting with marijuana and other drugs.