MARIJUANA
Marijuana presents issues for today’s youth:
- 1/3 of HS seniors used marijuana in 2020 (MTF 2020)
- Marijuana has been linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in teens (NIDA)
- 1 out of 6 teens who smoke marijuana develop an addiction (NIDA)
- Marijuana alters brain development (NIDA)
- This can impact thinking, memory, and learning in the teen years into adulthood (NIDA)
Rx Pain Relievers and Heroin
- 1 out of 7 High School students have misused prescription opioids (YRBS 2019)
- Opioids include heroin and prescription opioid pain relievers
- Prescription opioids: oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, etc.
- Teens prescribed opioids are 33% more likely to misuse the drug after HS graduation (SAMHSA)
- 1 out of 5 HS seniors report that heroin is "fairly" or "very" easy to get (MTF 2020)
Rx Stimulants (i.e., Ritalin, Adderall)
- Medications generally used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy (NIDA)
- They can be ingested in pill form, snorted, smoked or injected
- Side effects similar to cocaine i.e., paranoia and dangerously high body temperatures (SAMHSA)
- Youth misuse to improve academic performance, lose weight, and get high
- 1 in 7 male college students report having misused Adderall (NIDA)
COCAINE
- Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant (NIH)
- Dealers may mix with other drugs including amphetamines or fentanyl to increase profits (NIH)
- 1/2 of HS seniors do not believe that there is a "great risk" of harm in trying cocaine once or twice (MTF2020)
- 1/3 of HS seniors do not believe that there is "great risk" of harm in using cocaine occasionally (MTF2020)
- Death from an overdose can occur on the first use (NIH)
MDMA (Club Drugs)
- Synthetic drugs that alter mood and perception (NIDA)
- Common names include Ecstasy, “E”, “X”, Molly or Adam
- Side effects can include kidney, liver, or heart failure or even death (NIDA)
- 47% of HS seniors do not believe that trying MDMA once or twice is a "great risk" of harm (MTF2020)
Vaping (Mods, Juuling, E-cigarettes)
- 73% of High School seniors do not believe that there is a "great risk" of harm to vape nicotine occasionally (MTF 2020)
- Young people who use nicotine products in any form are uniquely at risk for long-lasting effects (NIDA)
- Nicotine vaping can lead to nicotine addiction (NIDA)
- Vaping nicotine also makes other drugs such as cocaine more pleasurable to the teenage brain (NIDA)
- Students who vape nicotine are more likely to smoke cigarettes (NIDA)
- Nicotine affects the development of brain circuits that control attention and learning (NIDA)
