EXPERT SAYS MARIJUANA MORE ADDICTIVE FOR YOUTH

OTTAWA -- Young people can easily become dependent on marijuana
because their brain is still developing, says an expert on youth
substance abuse.

"Kids can get addicted really quickly, like six months," said Kathy
Szirtes, who spoke Thursday at a public forum in Ottawa on
problematic marijuana use among youth. "An adult may take two years,
but kids can take six months because their bodies are still soft and
growing. The teen brain really isn't done growing."

For young people who use marijuana to deal with anxiety or to get to
sleep, the drug "can literally become hard-wired into them in terms
of a dependency," she added.

"You see this in adults who say, 'Oh I need a few drinks before I'm
going to dance.' The same thing happens with kids who use weed and
say, 'I can't relax in a movie for that long unless I'm stoned.' A
lot of it is psychological," said Szirtes.

It is a myth that marijuana use is not harmful, said Szirtes, a
specialist in youth mental health and substance abuse who works in
Victoria, B.C.

"We're seeing massive numbers of kids who can't use weed safely. And
so you get these frustrated parents who might be saying, 'Why can't
you just use on the weekend. Come on, we used to."'

Marijuana can be "very addictive both psychologically and
physiologically," she said, adding that "it has a little bit gentler
withdrawal effects than other drugs."

The debate on decriminalization and legalization of marijuana has
been misinterpreted by many young people who believe the drug is not
harmful, added Szirtes.

"I do know a lot of kids have taken that message and just only read
the piece that says it's probably not harmful. It's not harmful to
everyone, but in fact it's harmful to a lot of people," she said,
noting when young people get into marijuana dependency cycles, it
causes behaviour changes.

"You start wrecking relationships with family, with teachers, your
memory goes, you can't sleep properly unless you have a toke before
bed and on it goes. We're certainly seeing a rise in problems in the
high schools."

Because marijuana interferes with sleep, "kids are at school and
they're exhausted," added Szirtes.

Marijuana cravings for young people often look like Attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Other signs include changes in
friends, sleep disturbances, and mood swings.

"I think the average parent should be as concerned about marijuana as
they would be about any other hard drug," said Szirtes. "While
marijuana is not necessarily immediately detrimental to the system,
because of its long-term effects it is overall just as harmful as any
other hard drug."

A new Centre for Addiction and Mental Health drug use survey shows
that about one in four Ontario high school students have used
marijuana at least once in the past year, and that one in 12 report
symptoms of dependence.

After alcohol, marijuana has become the drug of choice in Ontario high schools.