Marijuana / THC
What: Prevent Marijuana Initiation
Who: Youth and Young Adults, ages 12-24
How: Establish and strengthen relationships between public, private, and nonprofit organizations and agencies in order to work together to reduce and prevent substance use among youth. Primary prevention strategies focus on providing information to the community about the risks and dangers of marijuana by building skills, changing policies and practices that provide protective environments to allow youth to make healthy and positive choices.
3 ways for parents and caregivers to talk to youth about marijauna (cannabis) use:
Make sure they know that they can come to you for the facts about Cannabis (which includes high THC Marijauna and Delta 8). All cannabis containing products can be addictive. Despite common belief, repeated Cannabis use can lead to addiction, which means that people can have trouble quitting.
Make conversations informal. Maybe use a tv show or movie about mental health or drug use a starting point to talk about how high levels of THC use is linked to some mental illnesses. The impact on the development of mental illness, high doses can bring on a panic attack or even acute psychosis—thinking that is detached from reality, sometimes including hallucinations. Also, evidence suggests that early marijuana use may increase the risk of psychotic disorders among those at higher genetic risk for these disorders.
Warn them about candy, cookies, and some drinks that look like popular brands but are actually infused with Delta 8 or High THC. Youth can easily overdose on THC edibles. These products contain high levels of THC and are increasing the likelihood of overdose.
Where: Sullivan County, Tennessee
Why: The brain keeps developing until about age 25. Marijuana use can cause impairment in cognitive abilities. The degree or duration of the impairment depends on the age when a person began using and how much and how long he or she used. (NIH, July 2020)
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