Is Vaping a Gateway Drug for Marijuana?
It’s no secret that teen e-cigarette use, or vaping, has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey, there was a 78% increase among high schoolers and a 48% increase among middle schoolers who used e-cigarettes. Rates rose so much that the FDA declared teen vaping an epidemic and many states […]
Why Not Legalize Marijuana?
It’s a question that keeps coming up: why not legalize marijuana? Wouldn’t it help alleviate prison crowding, drug-related violence and arrests? The short answer is: no.
Marijuana: A Gateway Drug?
Not only has marijuana proven to alter healthy development of the adolescent body and mind, statistics say that those (ages 12-17) who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to explore a “harder” drug than middle and high school students who have never tried cannabis.
The effects of marijuana on young people, ages 25 and under
Marijuana is one of the most commonly used drugs by America’s youth. In fact, roughly 7% of 12-17 year-olds in America and 23% of 18-25 year-olds in America use marijuana.
Why Schools Need Early Marijuana Prevention
In December 2016, a National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) survey of drug use, showed a decline of marijuana use among 8th and 10th graders. While this is encouraging, there continues to be a higher rate of marijuana use in states with medical marijuana laws. Over 38% of high school seniors in those states reported past-year […]
Our Stance on Marijuana Legalization
In 2013, only 7% of American Adults said they were pot users. Today, 14% of U.S. adults say they smoke marijuana. Over 7 million Americans smoke marijuana on a daily or near daily basis. About 2.8 million Americans meet the clinical criteria for dependence and 2.1 million for abuse.
The High Costs of Marijuana Legalization
Across the United States, there’s an ongoing case being made to legalize marijuana state-by-state. CBS News reported that legalization of recreational marijuana was on the ballot in five states this Election Day. While Arizona rejected the legalization of recreational marijuana, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize it.
NCAA Updates Marijuana Testing Best Practices
As of August 1, the NCAA has started cracking down on marijuana use in college athletes. The NCAA has tested for marijuana before championship events since 1986—despite the fact that it’s non-performance enhancing—but has just lowered the requirement for a positive result from 15 nanograms/milliliter to five nanograms/milliliter.
College Students & Marijuana: Skipping Classes, Lower GPAs, & Late Graduation
A new study reports that college students who use marijuana during their first year of college have a tendency to consistently skip classes. As a result, their GPAs suffer and late graduation can eventually become a reality. “The more frequently a student uses marijuana, the more they tend to skip class, earn lower grades, and graduate later,” say […]
Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth and Young Adults
Marijuana use is a major problem in today’s youth. Since marijuana use can have long-lasting effects on young people’s health, schools should address social norms and perceptions that marijuana is harmless, while promoting refusal skills.
