Mar 15 2007 As Students Prepare for SAT Tests, New Ad Campaign Urges Parents to Keep Their Teens Drug-Free
Some
factions of society still try to perpetrate the myth that marijuana is
nothing nore than a harmless and misunderstood drug no more dangerous
than alcohol or cigarettes. While alcohol and cigarettes are undeniably
harmful they are also legal under certain conditions and for this reason
comparing marijuana to them is irresponsible and gives teens the wrong
impression. The bottom line is that marijuana and other illegal drugs
have real and proven negative effects on teen academic performance. Now a
new initiative by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign hopes to
educate teens and parents about these risks.
While illicit drug
use among teens is on the decline, marijuana is the most commonly used
drug among 16- and 17-year-olds, the precise age at which most teens
take their college entrance exams. And research shows that last year,
1.3 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana for the
first time.
That's about the same number of students who are
expected to take the SATs this fall. Studies show that marijuana use
during these peak academic years can have a significant negative impact
on academic performance:
- Marijuana can hinder a teen's ability to learn. Heavy marijuana use impairs young people's ability to concentrate and retain information.
- Marijuana use is linked to poorer grades. A teen with a "D" average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an "A" average.
- Marijuana and underage drinking are linked to higher dropout rates. Students who drink or use drugs frequently are up to five times more likely than their peers to drop out of high school. A teenage marijuana user's odds of dropping out are more than twice that of a non-user.
- Teens who begin marijuana use at an early age when the brain is still developing may be more vulnerable to neuropsychological deficits, especially verbal abilities.
"Recent research does raise cause
for alarm with regard to teen marijuana use and the negative effects on
the adolescent body and brain," said Larry S. Fields, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
and President of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "In fact,
studies show that heavy marijuana use impairs a teen's ability to
concentrate and retain information. And this is especially problematic
during these peak learning and testing years."
"Together, parents and
teachers can lay the foundation for raising healthy, drug-free
students," said David Ward, President of the American Council on
Education. "We need to protect future citizens and leaders. And we can
only do this if we keep our kids away from drugs and help them focus on
their academic futures."
For more on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign initiative visit the Open Letter on Marijuana and Learning.
Mar 15 2007 As Students Prepare for SAT Tests, New Ad Campaign Urges Parents to Keep Their Teens Drug-Free
Some
factions of society still try to perpetrate the myth that marijuana is
nothing nore than a harmless and misunderstood drug no more dangerous
than alcohol or cigarettes. While alcohol and cigarettes are undeniably
harmful they are also legal under certain conditions and for this reason
comparing marijuana to them is irresponsible and gives teens the wrong
impression. The bottom line is that marijuana and other illegal drugs
have real and proven negative effects on teen academic performance. Now a
new initiative by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign hopes to
educate teens and parents about these risks.
While illicit drug
use among teens is on the decline, marijuana is the most commonly used
drug among 16- and 17-year-olds, the precise age at which most teens
take their college entrance exams. And research shows that last year,
1.3 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana for the
first time. That's about the same number of students who are expected to
take the SATs this fall. Studies show that marijuana use during these
peak academic years can have a significant negative impact on academic
performance:
- Marijuana can hinder a teen's ability to learn. Heavy marijuana use impairs young people's ability to concentrate and retain information.
- Marijuana use is linked to poorer grades. A teen with a "D" average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an "A" average.
- Marijuana and underage drinking are linked to higher dropout rates. Students who drink or use drugs frequently are up to five times more likely than their peers to drop out of high school. A teenage marijuana user's odds of dropping out are more than twice that of a non-user.
- Teens who begin marijuana use at an early age when the brain is still developing may be more vulnerable to neuropsychological deficits, especially verbal abilities.
"Recent research does raise cause for alarm with
regard to teen marijuana use and the negative effects on the adolescent
body and brain," said Larry S. Fields, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and President of
the American Academy of Family Physicians. "In fact, studies show that
heavy marijuana use impairs a teen's ability to concentrate and retain
information. And this is especially problematic during these peak
learning and testing years."
"Together, parents and teachers can lay
the foundation for raising healthy, drug-free students," said David
Ward, President of the American Council on Education. "We need to
protect future citizens and leaders. And we can only do this if we keep
our kids away from drugs and help them focus on their academic futures."
For more on the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign initiative visit the Open Letter on Marijuana and Learning.
By Mike Hardcastle
Teen Advice Expert
