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| |    Marijuana: A Foot in the Door? by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed and revised by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Adapted from Baby and Child Care, by Dr. Benjamin Spock. Though it does not necessarily lead to the use of other drugs, most authorities view marijuana as a "gateway" drug, one that may lead users to try other drugs. Some experts believe that marijuana results in changes in the brain that make it easier to become addicted to drugs like cocaine and heroin. In this sense, marijuana may be "a foot in the door," opening a child to the much greater risks of further drug use. As a society, our attitude toward marijuana has changed over the last twenty years. At one time, we said it was harmless because there was no physical dependency. Now we know that marijuana can cause a host of physical and mental problems. The marijuana many people experimented with in the 1970s was much less powerful than today's drug. Also, it's not uncommon nowadays for marijuana to be mixed, or "laced" with cocaine, PCP, or other drugs, increasing the danger. As a life-and-death issue, marijuana is much less of a health risk than tobacco, which causes 400,000 deaths a year, and alcohol, which claims 100,000 lives, ruins families, and incapacitates tens of thousands of people yearly. Nevertheless, we should not be lulled into overlooking marijuana's risks and dangers. When awareness of the dangers of marijuana goes down, use by teenagers goes up; when teens are better informed about marijuana, fewer use the drug. Health risks of marijuana Regular or heavy marijuana smoking damages the lungs and may cause cancer (like cigarettes). Even one-time use causes temporary poor coordination and impaired judgment (like alcohol). Many children smoke marijuana and drink alcohol at the same time, a particularly lethal combination when the teenagers get behind the wheel of a car. Heavy use of marijuana may cause long-term brain injury. Marijuana use certainly has health risks. It's important, however, not to overdramatize these hazards. Many adolescents and young adults use marijuana occasionally without obvious negative effects. Teens quickly lose interest if they feel that adults are being unreasonably alarmist. Heavy users Most of the young people who have smoked marijuana use it much less often than daily. (About one percent of 8th graders and six percent of 12th graders report daily use.) The less common individual who regularly smokes several times a day and remains in a state of mild intoxication should not be thought of as having been ruined by marijuana; he has lost his sense of purpose and seeks comfort in marijuana, just as other individuals have chronically abused alcohol and more dangerous drugs. These heavy, regular users demonstrate a loss of ambition and energy that can interfere with their moving forward in life--in the teen's education, work, and relationships. Learn more: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has created two very helpful and informative brochures on marijuana, one written for adolescents, the other for their parents. Both are available on the web at NIDA reports. (Select "Marijuana" from the list of drugs, then "Marijuana, Facts for Teens" or "Marijuana, Facts Parents Should Know"). For more useful information check out our Tobacco, Family Relationships, and School Problems programs.
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