TIME FOR SOME STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT MARIJUANA

Brookline - Did you know that according to the most recent Brookline
High School Health Survey, 25 percent of BHS students report using
marijuana in the past 30 days?

With the recent change in marijuana laws giving Brookline teens the
perception that marijuana use is more benign than underage drinking,
it is more important than ever that parents connect with their
children about this issue.

Most teens at Brookline High report that their parents have spoken
with them about the dangers of alcohol and driving -- even offering "no
questions asked" rides home, anytime, anywhere. But when it comes to
marijuana, teens admit that the messages they get from their parents --
if any -- are more ambiguous.

Most BHS students report that their parents don't talk to them about
the real risks involved with marijuana use. When parents do find a pot
pipe or bag of weed, teens convince their parents they only use
occasionally. (Occasional users don't buy pot.) Teens are very good at
concealing the extent of marijuana use. We want to believe them, and
to be "reasonable." We tell them that we understand that
experimentation is a normal part of adolescence, and too often, we
give no consequences for this risky behavior.

The message conveyed is one of passive acceptance of pot use. At least
they won't die in a car accident from smoking pot, we tell ourselves.

However, while the harm caused by marijuana abuse is less obvious, we
must be careful not to underestimate the potential danger to teens.
Marijuana use has proven harmful effects, and the road from casual
experimentation to regular use can be alarmingly short.

One of the most immediate effects of marijuana is that it impairs
short-term memory and motivation. The weekend smoker will experience
increased difficulty meeting academic demands and perform below
potential due to these short-term cognitive impairments. Homework is
often the first casualty.

Sleep patterns get disturbed.

Marijuana use leads to increased respiratory illness, resulting in
missed time from school and activities that can be hard to make up.
Parent/child relationships suffer as teens engage in deceitful
behavior to cover up their use and the money spent.

While marijuana is not physically addictive, it can lead to patterns
of dependence, sometimes leading to the use of other drugs.

BHS peer leaders report that stress and a desire to connect socially
can lead some students to habitual marijuana use. Seven percent of BHS
students (close to 125 students) report having smoked marijuana more
than 100 times.

Smoking daily to "unwind," teens become dependent on marijuana, and
need to smoke increasing amounts to experience the same "high." When
they try to quit, they often can't. Some students need to go to
residential treatment or wilderness programs to kick the habit.

Schoolwork and extra-curricular activities suffer, but more
importantly, students' social and emotional development is stunted.
Chronic pot smokers are far more likely to suffer from depression and
irritability, and have poor relationships with family.

Peer groups change, and students can be drawn into a peer group
subculture that reinforces the use of marijuana.

These students are more likely to report abusing other drugs, such as
cocaine, hallucinogens and prescription drugs, and to engage in other
illegal behaviors.

No student starts out occasionally smoking pot with the goal of
becoming a habitual user. But, as with cigarettes, they may not
realize how dependent they are until they try to quit, and by then,
they may be hooked. Better not to start at all.

The recent changes in the marijuana laws provide an opportunity to
discuss with your teen the reasons you don't want them to smoke pot.
Be prepared for this conversation by examining your own values and
assumptions, read up on current information on marijuana abuse and
spell out your reasons clearly.

Let your child know that you do not want them to smoke any marijuana,
that their health and well-being is too important.

These are crucial years for their growth and development, not a time
to be adding THC and other unknown chemicals to a developing brain.

For this and other helpful articles on marijuana, including a "Why Not
Pot?" tip sheet of specific conversation points, visit www.bcasa.org.