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The rise of the opioid epidemic has led to thousands of deaths across the country. Did you know that 98% of heroin addicts nationally surveyed, reported beginning their drug use with marijuana in their early teenage years? Being a parent or educator in today’s society involves being informed about the issues of substance misuse, it is more important now than ever before!
Knowing about current trends, along with how and when to talk to your teen/students can make a huge difference in their life. Did you know that when you talk to children about drug and alcohol use, you reduce their chances of becoming problem users by 50%?
The following excerpts are from a recent report published by NIDA in July of 2019:
• Marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time, and studies have found a direct relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.
• The risk of being involved in a motor-vehicle crash significantly increases after marijuana abuse.
• 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder.
• People who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder.
• Marijuana exposure during development can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain.
• Considerable evidence suggests that students who smoke marijuana have poorer educational outcomes than their nonsmoking peers.
• Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, marked by recurrent bouts of nausea, vomiting and dehydration can result from chronic marijuana use. This syndrome may resolve when a person stops using marijuana.
• Opioid overdose mortality rates between 1999 and 2010 in states allowing medical marijuana use were 21% lower than expected. When the analysis was extended through 2017, however, they found that the trend reversed, such that states with medical
cannabis laws experienced an overdose death rate 22.7% higher than expected. More research is needed on this topic.
SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019). Marijuana. Retrieved from:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/marijuana
Check out these alarming stats from Colorado since recreational marijuana was legalized in Colorado in 2013:
• Past month marijuana use for ages 12 and older increased 58 percent and is 78 percent higher than the national average, currently ranked 4th in the nation.
• Adult marijuana use increased 94 percent and is 96 percent higher than the national average, currently ranked 4th in the nation.
• College age marijuana use increased 18 percent and is 48 percent higher than the national average, currently ranked 6th in the nation.
• Youth marijuana use decreased 14 percent and is 40 percent higher than the national average, currently ranked 6th in the nation.
Read the report for yourself. Click the link below:
Young people are immersed in technology in ways previous generations could not have imagined. Common Sense Media has compiled this list of resources for parents seeking advice and information about how to help their children explore smartly and stay safe.
Here are 6 easy ideas for integrating substance misuse prevention into your classroom: