Why Adolescents are More Prone to Marijuana Addiction
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As states continue to pursue the legalization of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, the higher the statistics are expected to rise with those who will become addicted to the effects of marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 9 percent of marijuana users will develop dependence on the drug which increases to 17 percent with those who started using marijuana in their teens.
One of the misconceptions of marijuana is that the drug is relatively harmless without knowing the potency levels which have risen since the days that teens sat around passing a joint with their friends. The levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis, had a rate of 2 to 4 percent back in the day. Due to selective breeding of marijuana strains, THC potency has continued to rise. In 2014, the potency peaked to 12 percent whereas today, the potency has risen to 20 percent with traditional methods of consuming cannabis. The latest trend of dabs can reach 40 to 80 percent THC levels causing tolerance grow with these higher THC counts.
With an adolescent's brain still developing, they often lack rational decision making. Peer pressure and propaganda can sway vulnerable teenagers into thinking that marijuana will not harm them in the least. A teen who may be genetically predisposed to substance abuse will be more susceptible to making impaired choices when it comes to deciding whether to use marijuana.
Teens can also use marijuana as an escape from the anxiety and stress that they feel in their everyday lives. Adults typically have better coping skills compared to a teen who may be just developing theirs. Self-medicating can become a part of a teen's life when trying to deal with the pressure of getting good grades in school, dealing with bullying, breaking up with a love interest, or having instability with interpersonal relationships at home. The easier softer way for an adolescent is usually to reach for the first thing that will make them feel better in the moment such as marijuana that is easier than ever to get.
While anyone who uses marijuana is prone to getting addicted, teenagers hold a higher risk due to the body and brain development that will continue to take place into their 20's. How teens will react to marijuana is different for everyone and prevention is the necessary to keep an otherwise innocent teen from making the wrong choice.
Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center provides a clinically structured protocol with withdrawal management that is designed to specifically accommodate the needs of teenagers. We first help to remove the toxic chemicals out of the body and then move onto the treatment of the whole person.
Call us today to start living in recovery: 662-598-4214
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