WEED USAGE BY TEENS IS A REALITY; JUST DON'T LET IT BECOME THE FOCUS
OF YOUR LIFE

The date April 20 recently passed - and to some people it means nothing.

But to an ever-growing population of teenagers and adults, this day
is better than Christmas.

It is called 420 and it's the significant 24-hour period where anyone
who smokes marijuana lights up and soaks in their own high.

Some say the origin of 420 derives from the police code for
marijuana. Others believe it relates to a group of guys in the '70s
who met at 4:20 to get blazed.

There are other myths about 420 - it's the active amount of chemicals
in pot, or the fact April 20 is Hitler's birthday.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, grass, as some
like to call marijuana, is the most commonly abused illicit drug.

The main active chemical is THC. When inhaled, it rapidly passes from
the lungs into the blood stream.

When it reaches the brain, THC connects to specific sites called
"cannabinoid" receptors on nerve cells and it influences those cells.

As a teenager in high school, where many smoke outside during lunch,
I've learned my fair share about weed.

In fact, there is a potpourri of terms for it: chronic, hazes, buddha
piff, splif, etc.

These words, often obscure to the normal brain, are vital
communication between some people.

The short-term effects of cannabis include problems with memory and
learning, distorted perception, difficulty thinking, increased heart
rate and, of course, never-ending giggles.

These consequences are more like achievements - they are goals and
perhaps even what feels normal.

Naturally, smoking weed is a personal choice. It will always be
around and may even be legalized.

It is simply important to know the facts and to never let it become a
critical aspect in your everyday life.