Prevention Education

By Angie Mozqueda

America is facing a crisis that is forcing families to grapple with the heartbreaking effects of early addiction that can also lead to mental health disorders. Most parents when they hear a child or teen is using vape their response is “At least is nots marijuana” or “it’s just a flavored vapor it won’t do anything” I have even heard parents say “I’d rather that my kid vape to cope with stress than to smoke weed”. The truth is the marijuana parents are comparing the new vapes and THC of today, is not the same they knew when they were younger.

The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis that gives the “high,” is extracted out of the cannabis so that it is nearly pure. THC is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. Then a butane torch is used to heat the dab rig, and the dab is vaporized on that hot surface. Or, a vaping device with a heating element called a dab pen, can be used. Distillates can also be made into oils and put into cartridges (“carts”) and vaped like e-cigarettes. Forget the “grass” or “papers” that were rolled in the 70’s and 80’s, the pot that parents grew up with, or compare the new stuff to (10% or less THC content), is HUGELY different than today’s high-concentrate extracts (often 80% THC content or

higher).

This amount of pure THC is being researched, and studies are showing it to cause so much

damage to young brains.

The harmful combination of a still-forming mind, high-potency THC products, and a high

frequency of use equals Cannabis-Induced Psychosis. Yes, that’s a real diagnosis (or High-THC Abuse – Severe). Repeated CIP incidents can trigger schizoaffective disorder or other mental illness, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Even when the cannabis is withdrawn, the psychosis might not go away.

As parents, grandparents, friends, community members and counselors, we must first educate ourselves about the dangers of high-THC marijuana. Then we must warn our children when they are young, before age twelve. We must use extra caution in the early teen years to keep that discussion open and honest. They need to understand this danger, before “that friend”

shows up at a party telling them to take a dab.

What can we do? We can educate ourselves, our families, our communities, and peers. We can

help our youth by building them up to be resilient, strong and confident. We must give them

tools to cope with stress, anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed. We need to ensure our

youth know that struggles will happen, it is just how life works. There are no easy fixes to

struggles, no dab, vape, cigarette or alcoholic beverage is going to solve a problem. The stigma

of “if I talk to my kid about drugs, alcohol and mental health means they’ll just start to drink, use drugs and start feeling depressed”, is just that, a stigma. Open up the conversation with your youth.