Kids & Weed Don't Roll Together

Marijuana Health Risks and Potency

Did You Know…

THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, has tripled its potency since the early 1990s (NIDA). In 2019, three Massapequa youths were treated in a local emergency room for marijuana-related complications.

Marijuana oils and waxes are being vaped which delivers much higher levels of THC. This presents a higher risk of negative health effects and may cause psychosis or panic attacks, leading to treatment in the emergency room. Marijuana exposure during adolescent development can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain (NIDA).
Today, almost any food (gummies, brownies, lollipops, etc.), can be infused with marijuana. The amount of THC concentration in edibles varies and consequently overdose symptoms are often more severe (US DEA).

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Marijuana Use and Sports

Did You Know…

Research shows that marijuana use negatively affects movement, timing and coordination as well as causes damage to the lungs – all things that can harm athletic performance (National Institutes on Drug Abuse).

Marijuana adverse effects include increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and severe nausea or vomiting (Center on Addiction).
Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of chronic cough, bronchitis and worsening symptoms of asthma (Partnership to End Addiction).

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Marijuana Effects on the Brain

Did You Know...

Marijuana use during adolescence can cause long-term or permanent adverse changes in the brain (National Institutes on Drug Abuse) including permanent IQ loss – up to 8 points. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana (SAMHSA).

Compared with teens who don’t use, students who use marijuana are more likely not to finish high school or get a college degree (SAMHSA).
THC, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects, affects cells throughout the brain, including cells in circuits related to learning and memory, coordination, and addiction (SAMHSA).

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Effects of Driving While High

Did You Know...

Research shows an increase in car crash risk with marijuana use. 10% of Massapequa's 11th and 12th graders who drove in the past 30 days reported driving a vehicle after using marijuana (2018 YDS Survey).

Research shows that marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which impacts activities like driving (NIDA).
Marijuana's effect on driving include poor attention to task, poor time and distance perception, slower braking and reaction time, poor speed maintenance, poor lane tracking and more steering corrections (Compton and Berning, 2015; Hartman and Huestis, 2013; Hartman et al., 2015; Kelly-Baker, 2014).
Since recreational marijuana was legalized in Colorado, traffic deaths involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana more than doubled from 55 in 2013 to 129 people killed in 2019. This equates to one person killed every 3 1/2 days in 2019 compared to one person killed every 6 1/2 days in 2013 (The Legalization Of Marijuana In Colorado: The Impact-Volume 7 September 2020 Rocky Mountain High Intensity).

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Marijuana and Addiction

Did You Know...

When marijuana use starts before age 18, approximately 1 in 6 people will become addicted (Centers for Disease Control). In the Massapequas, youth first use marijuana before the age of 15 (2018 YDS grades 7-12).

Approximately 10 percent of people who use marijuana may develop what is called a marijuana use disorder—problems with their health, school, friendships, family or other conflicts in their life (NIDA).
Parents should be aware of common signs of marijuana use including changes in mood, increased irritability, having trouble remembering things that just happened, changes in eating habits, seeming unusually giggly and/or uncoordinated (NIDA).

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Marijuana and Covid

Did You Know...

Because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke marijuana or vape (NIDA).

Click here for more information.

Kids & Weed Don't Roll Together

Marijuana Health Risks and Potency

Did You Know…

THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, has tripled its potency since the early 1990s (NIDA). In 2019, three Massapequa youths were treated in a local emergency room for marijuana-related complications.

Today, almost any food (gummies, brownies, lollipops, etc.), can be infused with marijuana. The amount of THC concentration in edibles varies and consequently overdose symptoms are often more severe (US DEA).

Marijuana Use and Sports

Did You Know…

Research shows that marijuana use negatively affects movement, timing and coordination as well as causes damage to the lungs – all things that can harm athletic performance (National Institutes on Drug Abuse).

Marijuana adverse effects include increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and severe nausea or vomiting (Center on Addiction).

Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of chronic cough, bronchitis and worsening symptoms of asthma (Partnership to End Addiction).

Marijuana Effects on the Brain

Did You Know...

Marijuana use during adolescence can cause long-term or permanent adverse changes in the brain (National Institutes on Drug Abuse) including permanent IQ loss – up to 8 points. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana (SAMHSA).

Compared with teens who don’t use, students who use marijuana are more likely not to finish high school or get a college degree (SAMHSA).

THC, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects, affects cells throughout the brain, including cells in circuits related to learning and memory, coordination, and addiction (SAMHSA).

Effects of Driving While High

Did You Know...

Research shows an increase in car crash risk with marijuana use. 10% of Massapequa's 11th and 12th graders who drove in the past 30 days reported driving a vehicle after using marijuana (2018 YDS Survey).

Research shows that marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which impacts activities like driving (NIDA).

Marijuana and Addiction

Did You Know...

When marijuana use starts before age 18, approximately 1 in 6 people will become addicted (Centers for Disease Control). In the Massapequas, youth first use marijuana before the age of 15 (2018 YDS grades 7-12).

Approximately 10 percent of people who use marijuana may develop what is called a marijuana use disorder—problems with their health, school, friendships, family or other conflicts in their life (NIDA).

Parents should be aware of common signs of marijuana use including changes in mood, increased irritability, having trouble remembering things that just happened, changes in eating habits, seeming unusually giggly and/or uncoordinated (NIDA).

Marijuana and Covid

Did You Know...

Because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke marijuana or vape (NIDA).

Working Together to Prevent Substance Misuse & Promote Healthy Families