Teen alcohol use down while marijuana use rises - AmericaNowNews.com

Alcohol use down, marijuana up

A new survey indicates that fewer teenagers are drinking alcohol, but more are using marijuana. That information is coming from a survey conducted by Monitoring the Future.

( Survey details: http://monitoringthefuture.org/data/11data.html#2011data-drugs )

"It's pretty common in high school," said Ronnie Barajas, a 14-year old high school freshman, who considers marijuana to be bad, but says many teenagers are using it these days. "A lot of kids are smoking weed because they think it's not bad, and they think it has no effect on them."

But experts say that's far from the truth.

"The adolescent brain is still developing, and marijuana alters the makeup of the brain and chemistry," explained Jamal Givens, director of prevention, training, and neighborhood services at CODAC Behavioral Health Services. "That leads to behavioral issues, emotional issues, and education issues as far as not being able to focus or study, or even graduate from high school."

Local teens also think the survey findings reflect how much easier it is to buy marijuana than it is to buy than alcohol.

"You can pretty much buy marijuana from anyone on the street," said Elise Pesqueira, a 14-year old high school freshman. "But with drinking, you have to go through this whole process of finding someone who would buy it for you, and it's harder."

Pesqueira adds that she considers marijuana use to be "disgusting," and hopes other teens think about their actions before trying it.

Copyright 2012 America Now. All rights reserved.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities.
    A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities. The non-profit organizations end up with just pennies on the dollar raised through solicitation campaigns, and it's all legal. 
  • Every pet owner knows a dog can get into just about anything around the house. One woman found that out the hard way when her dog ate a bunch of grapes! Turns out, that's one of the most dangerous foods
    Every pet owner knows a dog can get into just about anything around the house. But these common snacks could be fatal for Fido.
  • Sometimes, smaller retailers charge a check-out fee -- or a "swipe" fee -- to use a credit card instead of cash.
    Sometimes, smaller retailers charge a check-out fee -- or a "swipe" fee -- to use a credit card instead of cash.
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and America Now. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.