December 11, 2012

Teenagers and Synthetic Marijuana (Spice, K2): What parents need to know

December 11, 2012/ Miguel Brown

Recently released statistics released by the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) shows that synthetic marijuana’s popularity among teenagers is on the rise. Unfortunately, the statistics reveal that teenagers are among its most popular users. Of the 11,406 people sent to the emergency room for synthetic marijuana in 2010, a third were between the ages of 12 and 17. A survey revealed that synthetic pot is the second most used drug among high school seniors, with 11.4% admitting to use.

December 07, 2012

Medical Marijuana: Explaining Colorado’s new laws to your teenager

December 07, 2012/ Miguel Brown

This year’s presidential elections brought no change to the presidency but the local elections in Colorado and Washington State led to new laws that will legalize recreational use of marijuana. As a parent, it is important to understand the new rules and how they may apply to your family. News of marijuana legalization and the benefits of medical marijuana may give teenagers the “ammunition” they need to justify to themselves that smoking pot is okay and can even be good for you. So, let’s examine the issues, the new laws, and medical marijuana to give you the ammunition you need to dispel the notion that smoking marijuana is okay because certain states have legalized it.

August 18, 2012

The Worst Thing About Weed - Perspective Of A Teen Specialist

August 18, 2012/ Miguel Brown

What the worst thing about smoking weed? I've been working with teens for 10 years, I have a masters in marriage and family therapy from U.M. and I've been involved in various research studies focusing on teenagers with substance abuse issues. So here is my professional opinion for what it's worth. This is the worst thing about weed: When you're high it makes it OK to be bored. It makes your anger, anxiety, shyness, shame and sadness go away for a while. You get hungry, you laugh, food tastes great, you sleep, you wake up feeling strung out and a little less sensitive to life's troubles. It's an escape from the painful and the mundane. And it works immediately, at least for a while. In short, smoking weed becomes how you deal with life's problems.