Pubdate: Fri, 20 Feb 2015
Source: Morning Star, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 The Morning Star
Contact:  http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1352
Webpage: http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/community/292677961.html
Author: Jennifer Smith

TEEN DRUG ABUSE CONCERNS GROW

Despite the benefits of medical marijuana, concerns are lighting up
over the detrimental effect the drug is producing in kids, as it
becomes increasingly accepted.

More than 200 people, including parents, youth, doctors and even 40
cadets, turned out a recent presentation focussed on the impacts that
marijuana, alcohol and tobacco are having on kids.

The presentation, called Teen Substance Abuse: Medical Aspects, was put 
on through the Vernon School District and featured doctors David Smith, 
Chris Cunningham and Mike Concannon.

District substance abuse prevention counsellor Doug Rogers, who daily
sees the impact these substances have on youth, was also a key figure.

Without getting into a debate, they presented the facts concerning
youth.

Like how more than 96 per cent of all drug deaths in Canada (2014)
were caused by alcohol and tobacco, according to the Canadian Centre
on Substance Abuse.

"These two are killing people and the marijuana is killing dreams of
our young people," said Rogers, as cannabis directly affects the brain
(especially the already vulnerable, developing brain of youth).

Smith pointed out the host of impacts cannabis has on the brain,
including decreasing IQ among regular users under 18.

"An unmotivated high school kid is a very sad thing," said
Rogers.

Concannon shared some of what he sees in the emergency room at Vernon
Jubilee Hospital among marijuana users.

"Marijuana is so much more potent now that the paranoia we're seeing
is so high in emergency," said Rogers.

Despite the benefits that medical marijuana has, the growing
acceptance and legalization is having adverse effects.

Rogers points to Colorado where additional problems are cropping up,
such as pets ingesting the drug.

"The governor of Colorado came out saying, 'we made a
mistake.'"

Meanwhile alcohol and tobacco are both legal substances which have
their own problems.

When it comes to tobacco, Cunningham provided extensive information on
the traditional cigarettes as well as e-cigarettes.

Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in Canada, said
Cunningham, yet each day between 82,000 and 99,000 young people around
the world start smoking.

Meanwhile cigarette smoking has decreased but e-cigarettes has
increased among teens. Those who use e-cigs are twice as likely to
smoke tobacco eventually (2013 CDC journal, Nicotine and Tobacco Research).

The $1 million question was what can parents do to protect their
kids.

A major part is having a connectedness with family, a strong
attachment to mom and dad.

Whether it's marijuana, alcohol or tobacco, kids are turning to the
substances as an escape, or a way to control anxiety. But that's not
the way to do it, said Rogers.

"We need to teach kids to self-soothe."

The presentation is available for viewing at www.sd22.bc.ca (under
resource links).

Parents and educators in both secondary and elementary schools are
urged to share the information with kids and start the
conversation.

"This is perfectly OK to send to elementary kids, this is where it
starts," said Rogers.
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MAP posted-by: Matt