Teens Not Well Educated on the Dangers of Marijuana Use

The good news is that teens are smoking tobacco less, according to a survey conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Unfortunately, teen marijuana usage has risen in the past year. In 2009, the survey showed that pot use in eighth graders rose to 11.8% from 10.9% in 2008 and in tenth graders rose to 26.7% up from 23.9% in 2008. Some theorize that this uptick is due to the lack of education about the dangers of pot use versus the highly publicized campaign against smoking cigarettes, including the White House Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske. As reported by Time Magazine, he says that the alarming trend underscores the need for parents and authorities to increase anti-drug efforts. Unlike teenage use of marijuana, teen use of cocaine and methamphetamines dropped from 4.4% in 2008 to 3.4% in 2009.

One of the tools in a parents' arsenal of anti-drug weapons is the ability to drug test your teenager for drug use. Taking a firm stand on drug and alcohol use strongly influences your teen's chances of becoming involved in illegal drug and alcohol use. If your child knows early on your expectations on their behavior and that this will not be tolerated, in fact, that you will test them for drug use if you are suspicious, it can be a strong deterrent.

Keeping the lines of communication open with your child so that they know that they can come to you for advice should be a high priority. Explaining why they should avoid illegal substances will help them to understand the dangers and why you are concerned for them. If you feel that this hasn't worked, contact an ANY LAB TEST NOW® location and ask about the many types and methods of drug tests. If your teenager is using drugs, they will need to get help and you can be there for them armed with the right knowledge.