Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles

How to Curb Your Teens' Use of Marijuana

By Leslie Davis

Despite reports that teen marijuana use has declined in recent years, it is actually at the same level as it was in 2004, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. With nearly 33 percent of 12th graders, 27 percent of 10th graders and 12 percent of 8th graders using the drug, that means there's still a good chance that your teens will use marijuana at some point during high school.

But instead of sitting idly by and watching your teens experiment with the drug, you can take a proactive approach to help reduce the chance that your teens will use marijuana. A study by researchers at Claremont Graduate University in California found that teens who believed their parents were monitoring them were much less likely to use marijuana than those who didn't.

"The interesting thing is this has to do with kids' perception of parental monitoring, not necessarily what their parents are actually doing," lead researcher William Crano, a professor of psychology at Claremont Graduate University, said in an article on HealthDayNews.com. "If your kids think that you know what they are doing, and where they're at, and who they're with, and what they are doing when they are not in your sight, that has a big impact on the kind of trouble they are going to get into."

Here are some things you can do to lessen the chances of your teens using marijuana:

Know What Your Teens Are Doing

Taking an active interest in your teens' life is important for many reasons, not just for making sure that they are not getting involved with drugs. Taking an interest in your teens' school activities, friends and opinions, provides them a strong support system, someone to communicate with and will make them less likely to engage in destructive behaviors.

Keeping tabs on what your teens are doing doesn't mean having them account for every minute of their day or check in with you everywhere they go. What it does mean is that you ask questions about their life, have an idea of where they are going and who they are hanging out with, and make an effort to get to know them as people. If your teens know that you have a genuine interest in them and their activities, they will be less likely to want to disappoint you by doing something you would disapprove of, such as using marijuana.

Also keep an eye on their friends to see if their peer circle has changed, if they are inviting fewer people over or if their friends have started using drugs. During high school, friends have a lot of influence over your teens' activities, and knowing who your teens' friends are and what they are up to can help you monitor what your teens are doing.

Take a Stance on Drug Use

If you use marijuana around your teens or tell them that you have no problem with them using, then there's a good chance that they will use marijuana themselves. Take a firm anti-drug stance to lessen the chance that your teens will experiment with drugs such as marijuana.

If your teens know you don't approve and feel like you may disrespect their decision to use drugs, there's a better chance that they'll never try drugs.

Educate Your Teens

Education is still one of the best ways to keep your teens from using drugs. Let them know the effects of using marijuana, including the side effects and behavioral changes it creates. Tell them about the health effects of regular marijuana use, which includes depression, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment and certain cancers.

Also let them know that marijuana often leads to other types of drug use to achieve a greater high, such as cocaine, heroin or prescription drugs. Use of those drugs can lead to a myriad of severe health problems and an addiction to drugs that can be difficult to overcome.

Recognize the Signs of Marijuana Use

If your teens are using marijuana, there's a good chance they aren't going it at home. That means you may not have a clue that your teens are using marijuana unless you are familiar with the signs of marijuana use:

• Very red, bloodshot eyes
• Acting silly and giggly for no reason
• Seemingly dizzy and having trouble walking
• Having a hard time remembering things that just happened

Changes in your teens' behavior may also be due to marijuana use. Look for the following changes in behavior to indicate that your teens may be using the drug:

• Depression
• Fatigue
• Hostility
• Changes in academic performance
• Carelessness with grooming
• Loss of interest in sports or other activities they used to enjoy
• Changes in sleeping or eating habits
• Decreased interaction with family and friends

Seek Professional Help

If your teens are using marijuana, despite your best efforts, and it is affecting their behavior or moods, you may want to consider a residential treatment center, therapeutic boarding school or wilderness camp for troubled teens. At any of these, your teens will be removed from the environment in which they are using and get support from therapists and other teens who can help them learn healthy ways to cope without the use of drugs.

Time away from home and their friends may be just what your teens need to end their desire to use marijuana.