FACT #1 A brain imaging study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse has shown that regular users of marijuana have less gray matter than nonusers of the drug in the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region that contributes to impulse control, decision making, and learning. (NIDA) FACT #2 THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol) is the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. Marijuana concentrates contain …
How Does Alcohol Affect the Teen Brain?
When teens drink, alcohol affects their brains in the short-term – but repeated drinking can also impact it down the road, especially as their brains grow and develop. Short-Term Consequences of Intoxication (being “drunk”): An intoxicated youth has a harder time making good decisions. A youth is less aware that his/her behavior may be inappropriate or risky. A youth may …
STOP Teen Access to Alcohol
Teen drinking is not inevitable. More than 58% of high school seniors do not drink alcohol, reducing their current risk of injury. One way to prevent teens from drinking is to cut off easy access to alcohol. Unfortunately, right now most teens report that it is easy to get alcohol. Almost 72% of teens who drink get alcohol without having …
Marijuana’s Long-Term Effects on the Brain
Substantial evidence from animal research and a growing number of studies in humans indicate that marijuana exposure during development can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain. Rats exposed to THC (main psychoactive chemical in marijuana) before birth, soon after birth, or during adolescence show notable problems with specific learning and memory tasks later in life. Cognitive …
How to Talk to your Child about Marijuana
Talking to your child about marijuana and other drugs is undeniably difficult. Often, the hardest part is starting the conversation. It is important to get in the right frame of mind and set the stage for an effective conversation about substances. Here are some strategies to do so. Keep an open mind. If you want to have a productive conversation …
Parenting Styles and Underage Drinking
Drinking alcohol undoubtedly is a part of American culture, as are conversations between parents and children about its risks and potential benefits. However, information about alcohol can seem contradictory. Alcohol affects people differently at different stages of life—small amounts may have health benefits for certain adults, but for children and adolescents, alcohol can interfere with normal brain development. Alcohol’s differing …
Positive Parenting Prevents Marijuana Use
Talk to your children about the dangers of drug abuse. The following five questions, developed by the Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon, highlight parenting skills that are important in preventing the initiation and progression of marijuana and other drug use among youth: 1. Are you able to communicate calmly and clearly with your teenager regarding relationship …
Prescription Opioid Abuse: A First Step to Heroin Use
Prescription opioid pain medications such as OxyContin and Vicodin can have effects similar to heroin when taken in doses or in ways other than prescribed, and are currently among the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. Research now suggests that abuse of these drugs may open the door to heroin addiction. Nearly half of young people surveyed who …
Is Drug Addiction a Mental Illness?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) drug addiction is classified as a mental illness because addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways, disturbing a person’s normal hierarchy of needs and desires, and substituting new priorities connected with procuring and using drugs. The resulting compulsive behaviors that override the ability to control impulses despite the consequences are similar …
What Is the Difference Between Misuse and Abuse?
What Is the Difference Between Misuse and Abuse? The number of emergency department visits due to misuse or abuse of prescription drugs has risen 98.4% since 2004. The terms misuse and abuse are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinct difference. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains that the difference between abuse and misuse has to do with …
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