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Peak Season for
Kids and Drugs It's peak pot season—for kids. More teens start using marijuana in June and July than any other time of the year. They have summer job money and more free time to spend with older youths, who may be users. And the trend is troubling: The number of eighth-graders who use the drug doubled in the years 1991-2001, from one in 10 to one in 5. Marijuana smoke is more damaging to the lungs than tobacco smoke, and pot use makes kids more likely to engage in risky behavior. Also, today's pot is much stronger than the variety grown in the 60's. Parents are the strongest influence on whether their kids use drugs. For advice and resources, we suggest www.theantidrug.com and www.freevibe.com on the Web. In addition, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. offers drug-prevention workbooks called In The Zone, for ages 5-17 and adults; to order call 1-800-221-6707. The national Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information offers free materials: call 1800-788-2800. Parade Magazine, June 22, 2003, p.9. |