The Facts About Marijuana

Marijuana Use Among Talbot County Teens

Marijuana use by teens in Talbot County is higher than in most other Maryland counties. One in four Talbot County teens reports using marijuana in the past month, and one in three states that obtaining the drug is easier than purchasing cigarettes or beer.

What Parents Need to Know About Marijuana

It's addictive. More teens enter drug treatment programs for marijuana than for all other illicit drugs combined, and marijuana use is three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adults.

It's dangerous. Marijuana use is a major factor in high risk behaviors such as unprotected sex and impaired driving. Much more toxic than that used a few decades ago, today's marijuana causes serious lung diseases, including cancer. In fact, smoking three marijuana cigarettes is equivalent to smoking 20 tobacco cigarettes. Recent research also suggests that marijuana use damages the immune system.

It's a drag. Students who use marijuana get lower grades, have impaired memory and learning skills, and are less likely to develop the sustained motivation to pursue their goals. Teenage users are up to five times more likely than non-users to suffer depression or anxiety. Once they become adults, even if they no longer use the drug, their risk of depression and other psychological disorders is much higher.

It's illegal. Teens who use marijuana can be suspended or expelled from school and become clients of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Teens who use marijuana are also much more likely to use other illegal, addictive and potentially lethal drugs than those who don't.

Signs of Marijuana Use

The symptoms of marijuana use may be subtler than those of alcohol, but that does not mean the effects are less serious. A child who smokes marijuana may not be partying, sick, hung-over or causing trouble. He or she may become what clinicians sometimes call "a whatever kid" -- doing less well in school, losing interest in sports and activities, showing moodiness or irritability much of the time, or detaching from others. Teens who use both marijuana and alcohol can show a variety of behavioral symptoms.