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- Many more youth use marijuana
than any other illicit drug, by far.
- Young teens are trying marijuana
at a time when their bodies and brains are still developing.
- In the past decade, the number
of teens who have tried marijuana has doubled.
- Many people who use marijuana
have trouble quitting and experience withdrawal symptoms
such as irritability, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety.
- Marijuana can lead to a host
of health, social, and behavioral problems at a crucial
time in young people’s lives.
- Marijuana today is more potent
and its effects can be more intense than they have
been in the past.
- Adolescent marijuana users
show lower academic achievement compared to non-users.
- Even short-term marijuana
use has been linked to memory loss and difficulty
with problem solving.
Excerpted from Wake Up to the Risks of Marijuana:
A Guide for Parents, Office of National Drug
Control Policy. This pamphlet is not yet available
for distribution. To place a back-order, contact the
ONDCP Information Clearinghouse at
1-800-666-3332.
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As part of the Marijuana Initiative, the National
Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is offering a number of free marijuana
and general drug prevention resources for parents and teachers.
Teacher Materials
The Media Campaign’s Web site for educators,
www.TeachersGuide.org,
includes tools, tips, and resources, including standards-based classroom
activities that incorporate drug prevention awareness into science,
social studies, theatre, language arts, and other academic areas.
Posters for the school or classroom are also available. Two sports-centered
posters feature young people and their “anti-drugs”—the
things that stand between them and using drugs. Other posters target
children of substance abusers, and encourage these at-risk youngsters
to seek help. For display at parents’ night, parent meetings,
or in teacher work areas, a “Questions” poster encourages
parents to keep track of their children and how they spend their
time.
Marijuana Toolkit
For those
who are interested in integrating marijuana-focused activities into
their drug prevention programs, available resources include:
- Marijuana
fact sheets
- Marijuana
“myths and facts”
- Drug
quizzes to test your marijuana IQ
- Posters
for youth and parents
- Marijuana
brochure for parents
- Downloadable
print and broadcast advertising
- Classroom
resources and activities specifically focused on preventing marijuana
use
Parent Materials
Parenting may not come with an
instruction manual, but the Media Campaign offers a free brochure
for parents that can help. Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free: A How-To
Guide for Parents and Caregivers discusses challenges parents face,
how parents can influence their kids, opportunities for starting
a discussion, and what parents can do and say to keep their children
drug-free.
To order any of these materials, call the National Clearinghouse
for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-788-2800 or visit www.MediaCampaign.org.
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