User:RankinsLemke537
From Bertelsmann Future Challenges
There is a reason marijuana is known as "the gateway drug". Readily available and considered by many people adults to become relatively harmless, many teenagers who find that they like the high marijuana provides will move on to other, rather more serious drugs.
Many who consider marijuana like a "harmless" drug, achieve this because once they think of the drug, they are thinking of the marijuana they've already smoked back in the 60's, 70's or 80's. However, selective breeding and sophisticated growing techniques in the last two decades, including hydroponics and special lighting systems means today's marijuana is much different today.
The active ingredient in marijuana is Delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.This is actually the chemical that provides marijuana users their high.
In the 1960?s marijuana contained about 1% THC. In the 1970?s it was up to 4%.Today's marijuana contains a minimum of 10% THC, or even more. Which means most of the marijuana being smoked by teens today reaches least 10 times more potent than what their parents might have smoked when they were teenagers.
Few teenagers will put themselves in the position of being around their parents when they are high. However, there are more indicators of a teen smoking pot. Parents who suspect their teenager is applying marijuana ought to keep their eyes open of these indicators.
rolling papers hash pipes small plastic bags with remnants of dried marijuana leaves remnant seeds in pockets the "sweet" give an impression of marijuana smoke on clothes, bedroom, or car lighters or matches use of the word pot, or 420 (nicknames for marijuana)
Cigarettes will also be a good indication of teenage marijuana use. Many teens begin cigarette smoking to cover the smell of marijuana smoke, or to explain the presence of matches or lighters in their possession.
