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For tips on how to help your stressed teen click on the image below

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As parents you need to tell your child that they must find someone who will listen to their problems. As respobsible parents you also need to be aware that listener may not be you. "Whether or not the adult your teenage can cnfide in is you, what is indisputable is the importance of adults and healthy family functioning in the lives of adolescents, esoecially when those adolescents are experiencing extreme stress" (P.182).

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Deeper explaination on why teens so stressed

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Dr. Jerry Weichman talks to parents about why teens are more stressed and what causes them to feel so. (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

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Reasons why teens are more stressed than adults

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5 Reasons Teens Are More Stressed Than Adults

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Is being a teenager more stressful than adulting?

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Teens talk about their stess

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Click the image below to learn more about the effects of various hard-core drugs on the teenage brain

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Research Reports | National Institute on Drug Abuse

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Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

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Click the image below to learn more about the effects of Pot on the teenage brain

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Every time my mom, a campus supervisor at a Southern California public high school, busts underage kids for pot, the students push back with the same protest: Haven't you seen the news? Weed is totally harmless! Weed is good for you!

It's true, the benefits of cannabis-from the medical to the sexual -are finally making their way back into mainstream American discourse after decades of vilification. But cannabis is a complicated plant, and its physiological effects on the adolescent brain are still largely unknown-a message teens aren't receiving.

"There is growing evidence that repeated exposure to cannabis that begins during adolescence is associated with a decline in IQ of about 10 points when subjects are tested in adulthood," says Sanjiv Kumra, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School who has studied cannabis' effects in young people. "This effect is not seen in adult users of cannabis."

Indeed, study after study has shown that frequent cannabis use among teens can lead not only to a drop in IQ points, but altered cognitive performance and even psychosis. Or as a 2008 study put it, frequent use can spur "lasting neurobiological changes that can affect adult brain functions and behavior."

Since an adolescent's brain is not fully developed, cannabis appears to affect it differently than an adult brain. The thing is, neuroscientists believe our brains are not fully developed until well into our twenties, around age 24 to 26. So at the risk of seeming like a total square, one must ask: Should the minimum legal age for recreational marijuana use actually be much higher?

The Colorado model: "Regulate like alcohol"

Since Colorado was one of the first states to legalize recreational use of cannabis, many look to the state as a model for future legislation. With the passage of Amendment 64, Colorado set the legal age at 21 and now other states are following suit. By why 21?

"We generally settled on 21 because that is the age that our society deems appropriate for an intoxicating substance, such as alcohol," said Mason Tvert, director of communication for the Marijuana Policy Project, which helped push through Amendment 64.

Most of the Colorado legalization campaign revolved around the phrase, "regulate like alcohol," which would mean setting the same age limit. But weed and alcohol are two very different substances (one could argue that alcohol is much worse in terms of addiction and related violence, but that's another story), so there's no real reason to treat them the same.

"I support the age limit of 21," said activist Rico Garcia from the Cannabis Alliance for Regulation and Education, who helped with early drafts of Amendment 64. "Let's get you through basic public school before you use copious amounts of cannabis."

Everyone I spoke to agreed that lowering it to 18 or 19 (another age that was on the table simply to keep it off high school campuses), as some activists have suggested, would be problematic for young students, given marijuana's mind-altering effects. "If kids are ADD they don't need to be daydreaming on cannabis," said Garcia. "We don't want it on a campus at all unless it's in a medical context." And yet, raising the age limit was never really on the table.

So the main argument for the current age limit appears to be twofold: Intoxication at age 21 is accepted by society, and there's a pressing need to keep it out of schools-but what about medical concerns?

"We had a number of discussions about how marijuana affects a young person's brain and what is an appropriate age limit," said Brian Vicente, a lawyer at Vicente Sederberg in Colorado, who helped draft the actual legislation. "But it's something our society recognizes as an appropriate time."

Our society also says that voting, tobacco use, and going to war are appropriate for 18-year-olds, but you need to be 25 to rent a car. Is "society's" opinion really the best measure for a plant that affects us on neurological level?

Is 21 old enough?

According to the 2014 World Drug Report, cannabis use among 8th to 12th graders rose by 2 to 6 percent from 2008 to 2013, and 36.4 percent of 12th graders reportedly used cannabis in 2013. That same report found that more permissive cannabis regulations are correlated with a decrease in the perceived risk, and in turn, a rise in use. Basically, as the teens tell my mother, "Weed is harmless, duh."

To further that point, in a federally sponsored survey, 60 percent of high schoolers said they believed marijuana is perfectly safe.

But in an effort to undo the past eighty years of propaganda portraying weed as an evil, hardcore drug (remember, before the days of Reefer Madness, cannabis was used in American medicine), we may have inadvertently forgotten to tell young people that "safe" is an overstatement.

"People absolutely need to learn about the nuances of marijuana," said Tvert. "For example, we tell teens that sex is something adults do, and they need to understand there are risks when you're younger, it should be the same with pot."

Of course, this isn't just about high school-aged kids. By setting the age at 21, we as a society are saying that 21 is a safe age to use marijuana. But the warnings that apply to school kids may need to be heard on college campuses, too. Here's why.

How weed affects a younger brain

A person's prefrontal cortex-which influences cognitive ability, personality, and decision making-is not fully developed until his or her mid-twenties. And introducing a chemical compound that can alter development can pose risks.

In order to understand these risks, it's useful to understand how cannabis works in the body.

Essentially, weed is made up of chemical compounds called cannabinoids, the most active and famous being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These compounds interact with receptors in the brain's endocannabinoid system, which can influence appetite, memory, brain function, energy, and stress response (which explains why cannabis is associated with all of the above.)

In a teen or young adult brain, however, these interactions can lead to slight alterations in neurological wiring, due to the fact that connections are still developing.

Kumra, the professor of psychiatry, said he has observed that repeated exposure to cannabis at a younger age is indeed associated with alterations in brain development. "We find evidence of both disruptions in white and grey matter development, particularly in fiber tracts, which project to the prefrontal cortex and brain regions that subserve aspects of cognitive function."

There's also been evidence that the higher the THC levels in a particular dose of weed, the more the brain changes, said Krista Lisdahl, director of the brain imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin, who has researched marijuana's effects on the brain.

She explained, "Basic science shows us higher potency or dose is more likely to alter the endogenous endocannabinoid system in your brain, and this system is important for cognition, stress, and emotional regulation." And because the brain is in its final stages of development in our early twenties, that may be the worst time to introduce marijuana. Especially high potency strains.

"We have strong evidence that brain structure, especially in the prefrontal and parietal cortices, is still changing until age 25," said Lisdahl. "If we based it completely on science, I would recommend the age limit be 25."

She added that policymakers should think about capping THC potency levels at 15 percent. For comparison, cannabis in the 1960s and 1970s had THC levels around 7 to 10 percent. Today, levels range from 10 to 20 percent in some strains-and concentrates such as dabs can contain as much as 80 percent THC.

So what should be done?

Despite research that appears to show the negative effects of cannabis on young brains, several experts pointed out that more research is needed in determining the long-term effects.

"The evidence regarding marijuana use and brain development is disputed," said Dale Gieringer, the director of Cal NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). "Experts on adolescent drug abuse are more concerned that youthful potheads will drop out or neglect their studies than that will suffer some kind of brain damage."

Not to mention, as other experts told me, it's unrealistic to believe that upping the age limit would stop young people from using pot. "If you say you should never do it, it's not gonna work," said the Marijuana Policy Project's Tvert. "My dream campaign would be to teach kids 'just wait' because it's not as harmful when you're older."

Tvert said that when Amendment 64 passed, Colorado did launch a public awareness campaign to educate (read: deter) teens and college kids, using the concept of caged lab rats. "They put these steel cages around the state, with the slogan ' Don't be a lab rat,'" said Tvert. The ads also included questions such as, "Who's going to risk their brains to find out once and for all what marijuana really does?"

But the campaign backfired, and young people posted photos to social media smoking pot inside or near the cages. The state then quietly ended the campaign.

So how can advocates get the message across? "It's really a matter of creating campaigns that will reach younger people honestly," said Tvert. "We see that more with sex education now, rather than abstinence only campaigns."

Garcia, from CARE, agreed that more should be done to change how the image of cannabis use is presented to both teens and adults alike. He said that the influx of candy edibles such as gummy worms and lollipops, marketing featuring girls in tight T-shirts with 420 plastered across their chest, and the whole Snoop Dogg association makes the drug seem childish-and that's the wrong approach.

"There are certain things we need to do to keep it out of the hands of children, and secondly, people need to stop acting like children," he said. "A lot of adults and kids need to learn to use cannabis responsibly."
Taryn Hillin is Fusion's love and sex writer, with a large focus on the science of relationships. She also loves dogs, Bourbon barrel-aged beers and popcorn - not necessarily in that order.

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Science says twenty-somethings probably shouldn't smoke weed

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Every time my mom, a campus supervisor at a Southern California public high school, busts underage kids for pot, the students push back with the same protest: Haven't you seen the news? Weed is totally harmless! Weed is good for you!

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Click the image below to learn more about the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain

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alcohol alerts; alcohol research health; newsletters; pamphlets; brochures; professional education; research monographs; reports; publicaciones en español; delivery treatment prevention services; tenth report congress; epidemiologic data directory; data reference manuals; surveillance; pamphlets

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brochures; agepage aging; alcoholism: getting facts; family history; drinking your pregnancy; harmful interactions mixing alcohol medicine; health sciences education curricula; disparities materials; cut down; what you don't know can harm you; affect child; kids alcohol free; talk child about alcohol; science education; parents help teens party right graduation; underage drinking prevention; intimate relationships; combine; helping patients who drink too much; clinicians guide; pocket guide; economic costs; physician training; match; assessing problems guide; sentencing dui offenders; thesaurus; residence program new york; improving treatment practice north carolina; social work curriculum; state of science moderate drinking; nasadad issue brief one; un tema de salud de la mujer ; hable con sus hijos sobre el uso del alcohol ; antecedentes de alcoholismo en la familia; la bebida y su embarazo; mantengamos a los niño libres de alcohol; mezclando bebidas alcohólicas con medicamentos

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Adolescence and young adulthood are developmental stages of transition during which humans, as well as members of many other species, mature physically and behaviorally into their adult state. Adolescents and young adults need to acquire the physical and behavioral skills that will allow them to live independently of their parents, sustain themselves, and reproduce.

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Click the image below to learn more about the effects of tabacco on the teenage brain

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Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S., with more than 400,000 deaths each year attributable to smoking or its consequences. And yet teens still smoke. Indeed, smoking usually begins in the teen years, and approximately 80 percent of adult smokers became hooked by the time they were 18. Meanwhile, teens who don't take up smoking usually never do.

While studies have linked cigarette smoking to deficits in attention and memory in adults, UCLA researchers wanted to compare brain function in adolescent smokers and non-smokers, with a focus on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that guides "executive functions" like decision-making and that is still developing structurally and functionally in adolescents.

They found a disturbing correlation: The greater a teen's addiction to nicotine, the less active the prefrontal cortex was, suggesting that smoking can affect brain function.

The research appears in the current online edition of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

The finding is obviously not good news for smokers, said the study's senior author, Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

"As the prefrontal cortex continues to develop during the critical period of adolescence, smoking may influence the trajectory of brain development and affect the function of the prefrontal cortex," London said.

In the study, 25 smokers and 25 non-smokers between the ages of 15 to 21 were asked to perform a test that activated the prefrontal cortex and required them to inhibit responding. The test, called the Stop-Signal Task (SST), was done while the participants were undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The Stop-Signal Task involves pressing a button as quickly as possible every time a lighted arrow appears - unless an auditory tone is played, in which case the participant must prevent himself from pressing the button. It is a test of a person's ability to inhibit an action.

Prior to the fMRI test, the researchers used the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) to measure the level of nicotine dependence in the smoking group. The HSI takes into account how many cigarettes a teen smokes in a day and how soon after waking he or she takes the first smoke.

The results of the tests, London said, were interesting - and surprising. Among smokers, the researchers found that the higher the HSI - that is, the more a teen smoked - the lesser the activity in the prefrontal cortex. And yet, despite these lower levels of activation, the smoking group and the non-smoking group performed roughly the same with respect to inhibition on the Stop-Signal Task.

"The finding that there was little difference on the Stop-Signal Task between smokers and non-smokers was a surprise," said London, who is also a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of the UCLA Brain Research Institute. "That suggested to us that the motor response of smokers may be maintained through some kind of compensation from other brain areas."

Protracted development of the prefrontal cortex has been implicated as a cause of poor decision-making in teens, London said, caused by immature cognitive control during adolescence.

"Such an effect can influence the ability of youth to make rational decisions regarding their well-being, and that includes the decision to stop smoking," she said.

The key finding, London noted, is that "as the prefrontal cortex continues to develop during the critical period of adolescence, smoking may influence the trajectory of brain development, affecting the function of the prefrontal cortex. In turn, if the prefrontal cortex is negatively impacted, a teen may be more likely to start smoking and to keep smoking - instead of making the decision that would favor a healthier life."

On the other hand, the fact that adolescent smokers and non-smokers performed equally well during a response-inhibition test suggests that early interventions during the teen years may prevent the transition from a teen smoking an occasional cigarette in response to peer pressure to addiction in later adolescence.

In addition to London, study authors included lead author Adriana Galván, Christine M. Baker and Kristine M. McGlennen of UCLA, and Russell A. Poldrack, of the University of Texas at Austin.

Funding for this study was provided by Philip Morris USA, an endowment from the Thomas P. and Katherine K. Pike Chair in Addiction Studies, and a gift from the Marjorie M Greene Trust. None of the sponsors had any involvement in the design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data; the writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is an interdisciplinary research and education institute devoted to the understanding of complex human behavior, including the genetic, biological, behavioral and sociocultural underpinnings of normal behavior, and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition to conducting fundamental research, the institute faculty seeks to develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment of neurological, psychiatric and behavioral disorder, including improvement in access to mental health services and the shaping of national health policy.

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Tobacco smoking impacts teens' brains, UCLA study shows

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Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S., with more than 400,000 deaths each year attributable to smoking or its consequences. And yet teens still smoke. Indeed, smoking usually begins in the teen years, and approximately 80 percent of adult smokers became hooked by the time they were 18.

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"MetlLife Foundation in 2011 reveled that the use of Ecstasy had risen 67 percent among teens" (P. 160).

Other drugs that have risen in teenagers use are:
*Cocaine
*Amphetamines
*Methamphetamines
*Ritalin
*Adderall

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"Early teen users are twice as likely to become addicted, and those who indulge in pot before the age of sixteen have more trouble with focus and attention and make twice as many mistakes on tests involving planning, flexibility, and abstract thinking" (P. 150).

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"Every day in the United States 4,750 young people between the ages of twelve and twenty take their first full drink of alcohol. According to the National Institution of Health , any alcohol use by underage youth is considered to be alcohol abuse" (P.127).

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It is hard for teenagers to see the consequences of the future but it is important as parents to constantly remind them the activities that one is part of can have serious consequences in the long run.

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"Those who begin smoking in adolescence are also three times more likely to begin using alcohol, and ong-term ingestion of nicotine has been shown to increase tolerance to aclchol, meanng it takes more alchol to produce the same effect" (P.122).

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Teens who have never experiences negative consequences from risky behaviors are more likely to countiue to do those behaviors because the rewards outweighs the risk.

Because teenagers brains are still develeoping it is more likely that teens get addictied to substances and have a harder time quitting the rest of their lives.

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Teens get a sense of reward more then adults do. Dopamine (Feel good chemicals) are enhanced in the teen brain.

"Because the frontal lobes are still only loosely connected to other parts of the teen brain, adolescents have a harder time exerting cognitive control ober potentially dangerous ituations" (P. 106).

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Contrary to the belief, teenagers are not irrational. They know if a certain activity is dangerous or not

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Risk has now increased for teenagers via the internet, media, and travel

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"Experimental behavior is actually important for adolescents to engage in because it helps establish their autonomy. The problem for teens is that their underdeveloped frontal cortex means they have trouble seeing ahead or understanding the consequences of their independent acts, and are therefore ill equipped to weigh the relative harms of risky behavior" (P. 104).