What you need to know about teenagers and marijuana use.

Grass, weed, ganja, green, Mary Jane, puff, skunk, blunt, bud, chronic, pot, kush, all names for marijuana. This is a drug with its own language and culture, its leaves adorn tee shirts and merchandise, and the products for smoking it are freely available. For some adults, it is a prescribed relief from the pain of multiple sclerosis, and it is constantly debated in governments all over the world as to whether it should be classed as an A. B or C drug.

Even the scientific community cannot agree as to the level of harm this drug can cause. However, there is agreement that it is addictive and that its impact is greatest on the young, especially on young minds.

So, what do you tell your teenager about this drug?

• Any drug is dangerous; that just because pop stars and film icons use it does not make it any safer.


• A drug that is addictive takes away control from the user and hands it to the drug and by association to the drug dealer.


• Marijuana is a mood altering drug, with a temporary relaxing effect, making it dangerous to drive under its influence


• After smoking weed you are likely to be very hungry and thirsty


• If used to control anger, the anger comes back three fold afterwards


• 25% of teens between the ages of 15 and 21 are likely to develop mental health issues having smoked marijuana


• Smoking marijuana significantly increases the chances of schizophrenia in teens


• It reduces concentration and impairs learning, not good for exam taking teens

It is absolutely pointless not acknowledging some of the medical benefits of marijuana, your teen will have been told all the good things about this drug, and will not trust you if you lie about it. The most effective discussions with teenagers is where you agree that it is not all black and white, and marijuana is one of those debates, but that on balance, the arguments come down against marijuana, most especially for teenagers.

Indications that your teenager is smoking marijuana

• Short sentences and difficulty in concentrating


• If everything seems ridiculously funny, and cannot stop giggling


• Smell their hands, their fingers will smell sweet, mixed with cigarette smell


• Red eyes, maybe covered by a sudden wearing of sunglasses


• Increase or sudden use of incense, room deodorant, candles in their bedroom to cover smell


• Coded language with friends or on mobile, look out for "henry", an eighth of an ounce, "teenth" a sixteenth of an ounce, a "q" which is a quarter of an ounce


• Change in clothing and friends, fascination with different music and idols, e.g. Dr Dre or SnoopDog

Your teenager will thank you eventually for stopping them smoking marijuana, but you may have a long battle as it is so freely available, and it is associated with a culture, lifestyle and to some extent, acceptance into a group.