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How can I tell if my child is using marijuana? Marijuana comes from the cannabis plant and looks like dried leaves. It is smoked either in a pipe or a hand-rolled cigarette, called a "joint." Other common names for marijuana are pot, weed, grass, herb, and reefer. Marijuana is fairly easy for young people to get. It also tends to be the first illegal drug they try. After smoking marijuana, teens may go on to try "harder" drugs, such as cocaine and LSD. Signs your child may be using marijuana Your child:
Some short-term effects of smoking marijuana include:
Why young people try marijuana There are many reasons why young people use drugs. Some of the most common reasons are:
Some teens may think using marijuana will make them "cool" or seem more adult-like. They need to know that marijuana use is not a normal step in growing up, despite what their peers may say. The risks Over time, marijuana may cause serious physical effects in teens who are still growing and maturing. These include:
Marijuana can make it difficult for a person to think, listen, speak, remember things, solve problems, and form concepts. It can also affect how well your teen does in school. Heavy, chronic marijuana smokers often have less drive and ambition. The effects of marijuana can make driving or playing sports risky. This is because marijuana impairs complex motor skills and the ability to judge speed and time. Using drugs like marijuana increases the risk of injury, such as from vehicle crashes. In adolescence, sexual feelings are evolving and changing. Smoking marijuana can confuse these feelings and cause your teen to take sexual chances. This could lead to an unplanned pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease (including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS). Remember If your teen is using marijuana, he or she needs your help. Pediatricians, family members, teachers, youth groups, mental health professionals, and clergy can provide support for your teen to stop smoking marijuana. If the problem is too much for you to handle on your own, get professional help. Your teen may need counseling, a support group, and/or a treatment program.
Published online: 3/07 Parents can find more information
on this topic in Caring for Your Teenager. To order a copy of this book
visit the AAP
Bookstore. The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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Marijuana