In recent years, overwhelming THC levels nearing one hundred percent concentration are making teens sicker and more addicted than ever to cannabis products. These products, marketed in bright colors and easily accessible on America’s shelves, pose a serious danger to our youth.
Elysse, an 18-year-old who started vaping cannabis as a 14-year-old, recalled her experience in college: “[People used] not only [vape pens], but bongs, pipes, bowls — absolutely everything.” She could see many of her peers crowding the communal bathroom to prepare their instruments for a “morning smoke”.
Evidence shows that usage of cannabis among young people has been growing at a concerning rate; according to The New York Times, 35 percent of high school seniors and 44 percent of college students admitted to using marijuana in the past 30 days in 2020, compared to the 22 percent of high school students reported using marijuana in the last 30 days in 2019.
While marijuana may not come to mind as the most lethal drug, it can still have adverse effects on users’ mental health, particularly in teens whose brains aren’t fully developed. The drug can cause vomiting, addiction, hallucinations, an increased risk of depression and anxiety. It can even cause lasting psychiatric disorders.
The main source of cannabis’ harmful effects is in the compound THC, which makes users get a ‘high’. Even in concentrations around 10 percent, the cannabis plant can produce harmful effects.
Cannabis manufacturers are able to extract THC to make their products more concentrated. “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,” reports The New York Times.
“[There is] no doubt that higher concentration products are increasing the number of people who have bad experiences with cannabis,” says the director of Boston Children’s Hospital’s addiction program, Dr. Sharon Levy. She reports that, in 2000, her clinic received far fewer young patients with psychotic symptoms, an occurrence which has become increasingly regular in recent years.
Despite all the proven harm of cannabis use, the drug remains largely unregulated in America; legal for recreational use in 19 states and legal for medical use in 37 states.
Medical professionals agree that the best way to avoid the dangers of drug use is to not use drugs altogether, but this is not always possible. Dr. McDonell of Washington State University college of medicine suggests educating younger generations about the effects of THC and in avoiding high potency cannabis products.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/well/mind/teens-thc-canabis.html
Elysse, an 18-year-old who started vaping cannabis as a 14-year-old, recalled her experience in college: “[People used] not only [vape pens], but bongs, pipes, bowls — absolutely everything.” She could see many of her peers crowding the communal bathroom to prepare their instruments for a “morning smoke”.
Evidence shows that usage of cannabis among young people has been growing at a concerning rate; according to The New York Times, 35 percent of high school seniors and 44 percent of college students admitted to using marijuana in the past 30 days in 2020, compared to the 22 percent of high school students reported using marijuana in the last 30 days in 2019.
While marijuana may not come to mind as the most lethal drug, it can still have adverse effects on users’ mental health, particularly in teens whose brains aren’t fully developed. The drug can cause vomiting, addiction, hallucinations, an increased risk of depression and anxiety. It can even cause lasting psychiatric disorders.
The main source of cannabis’ harmful effects is in the compound THC, which makes users get a ‘high’. Even in concentrations around 10 percent, the cannabis plant can produce harmful effects.
Cannabis manufacturers are able to extract THC to make their products more concentrated. “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,” reports The New York Times.
“[There is] no doubt that higher concentration products are increasing the number of people who have bad experiences with cannabis,” says the director of Boston Children’s Hospital’s addiction program, Dr. Sharon Levy. She reports that, in 2000, her clinic received far fewer young patients with psychotic symptoms, an occurrence which has become increasingly regular in recent years.
Despite all the proven harm of cannabis use, the drug remains largely unregulated in America; legal for recreational use in 19 states and legal for medical use in 37 states.
Medical professionals agree that the best way to avoid the dangers of drug use is to not use drugs altogether, but this is not always possible. Dr. McDonell of Washington State University college of medicine suggests educating younger generations about the effects of THC and in avoiding high potency cannabis products.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/well/mind/teens-thc-canabis.html
