As of June 23, studies have shown that teenagers who use products that contain THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana that creates a feeling of euphoria, are developing serious problems due to the fact that their teenaged brains still developing. A chemical like THC messes up and slows down the brain’s ability to function.
There are two chemicals found in cannabis: CBD and THC. CBD is non-addictive and is what doctors use to cure seizures, anxiety, and inflammation. THC, on the other hand, is the harmful chemical that marijuana abusers are addicted to. Studies have shown that products that are lower in CBD tend to be much more addictive. The New York Times says that “in 1995, the average concentration of THC in cannabis samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration was about 4 percent. By 2017, it was 17 percent. And now cannabis manufacturers are extracting THC to make oils; edibles; wax; sugar-size crystals; and glass-like products called shatter that advertise high THC levels, in some cases exceeding 95 percent.”
The number of teens who abuse cannabis products is on the rise. Some of these teens develop a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis, which causes vomiting and other stomach problems. As reported by the New York Times, symptoms in addition to vomiting include: “psychosis that could possibly lead to a lifelong psychiatric disorder, an increased likelihood of developing depression and suicidal ideation, changes in brain anatomy and connectivity and poor memory.”
The issue of teens abusing marijuana is rapidly growing worse; it is even life-threatening in many cases. One special example is Johnny Stack, a boy who began using weed at the age of 14. His abuse progressively got worse and worse, and he had been put in several rehab programs before committing suicide by jumping off a six-story building.
If the THC problem is not solved quickly, there will be complications that are going to be even harder to escape.
There are two chemicals found in cannabis: CBD and THC. CBD is non-addictive and is what doctors use to cure seizures, anxiety, and inflammation. THC, on the other hand, is the harmful chemical that marijuana abusers are addicted to. Studies have shown that products that are lower in CBD tend to be much more addictive. The New York Times says that “in 1995, the average concentration of THC in cannabis samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration was about 4 percent. By 2017, it was 17 percent. And now cannabis manufacturers are extracting THC to make oils; edibles; wax; sugar-size crystals; and glass-like products called shatter that advertise high THC levels, in some cases exceeding 95 percent.”
The number of teens who abuse cannabis products is on the rise. Some of these teens develop a condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis, which causes vomiting and other stomach problems. As reported by the New York Times, symptoms in addition to vomiting include: “psychosis that could possibly lead to a lifelong psychiatric disorder, an increased likelihood of developing depression and suicidal ideation, changes in brain anatomy and connectivity and poor memory.”
The issue of teens abusing marijuana is rapidly growing worse; it is even life-threatening in many cases. One special example is Johnny Stack, a boy who began using weed at the age of 14. His abuse progressively got worse and worse, and he had been put in several rehab programs before committing suicide by jumping off a six-story building.
If the THC problem is not solved quickly, there will be complications that are going to be even harder to escape.
