Marijuana a Gateway Drug for Teens?

Times are changing in America. With every election process, we see a different state move forward in the process of legalizing or decriminalizing recreational marijuana. Time and again, lawmakers debate the notion that pot promotes the use of other drugs. Many lawmakers and parents have outdated notions about marijuana, misunderstanding the substance and its impact on those who use it. Marijuana isn’t a gateway drug, nor can it cause addiction in the physical sense. However, frequent and early use can seriously affect young people’s mental, emotional, and physical development. Many people confuse marijuana as a gateway drug because its use is present with other substances, some legal (like alcohol or tobacco) and some illicit.

Marijuana can cause a psychological addiction or process addiction requiring professional support to overcome and heal from. At Beaches Recovery, we can guide people through what to look for to determine marijuana abuse and find the support they need to heal.

Marijuana as a Gateway Drug In School

Before discussing this issue, we’ll concede that pot use by kids of middle school age is illegal. That’s true in all 50 states. Just the same, access is becoming a significant issue. Much like alcohol and cigarettes, it’s easy for kids to get access to pot. Adults who buy legally eventually fall into children’s hands when parents fail to be active and responsible. That’s why this discussion is so important. Too often, kids find themselves experimenting with drugs and alcohol, exposing them to bad crowds and even worse drugs.

Yes, it’s valid that pot users are more likely to try other drugs. It doesn’t mean pot causes them to use other drugs. It’s more likely they try other drugs because they have moved past using weed and want to try something else. Pot has empowered them to forget convention and try something else. That doesn’t really fit the definition of a gateway drug.

All of this information is also applicable to middle school kids with one major caveat. Children don’t have the maturity to make rational decisions. This makes them more susceptible to misinformation. A child using pot is more likely to try other drugs because they want a better high. They are far more likely to assume other drugs are just as harmless as pot. In that regard, someone can see marijuana as a gateway drug.

Drug Treatment for School Aged Kids

One of the great tragedies in America is the presence of middle school kids in rehab. Regardless of whether or not pot is to blame, addiction presents a more significant threat to kids than adults. Why? A child’s mind and body don’t fully develop until their late teens. The harmful substances in pot, alcohol, illicit drugs, and even cigarettes delay and sometimes retard development. Any parent, who believes their child is abusing any substance, needs to get their child help. Treatment from a top facility like Beaches Recovery remains the best option.

Discover the Addiction Treatment Necessary at Beaches Recovery

At Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida, we treat people of all ages with addictions to most substances. For the direct benefit of our patients, we customize our treatment programs using one of the following options:

• Residential drug rehab
• Outpatient care
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Family counseling services
• Partial hospitalization program

If your young adult child is dealing with an addiction to any substance, Beaches Recovery can help. Across all our addiction treatment programs, we offer comprehensive therapies, such as:

• 12-Step Program
• Experiential Therapy
• Non-12 Step Programs
• Equine Assisted Therapy
• Life Skills Training During Rehab
• Nutrition Therapy
• Yoga Therapy
• Hiking Therapy

To start, you can pick up the phone and call one of our staff members at 866.605.0532. We can answer your questions about marijuana as a gateway drug and how to treat addiction.