New book tackles myths, misperceptions about marijuana
More than half of Americans now think marijuana should be legalized, according to survey results the Pew Research Center released in April. But could an inaccurate understanding about modern marijuana and the dangers it poses 鈥� particularly to adolescents 鈥� be skewing people鈥檚 opinions on the subject?
Yes, according to a new book written by University of Florida addiction medicine specialists Scott Teitelbaum, M.D., and Michael Nias, J.D., L.C.S.W. The book, titled 鈥淲eed: Family Guide to Marijuana Myths and Facts,鈥� is geared toward helping families wade through conflicting information about the drug, which is now legal for medicinal purposes in 18 states.
One of the main issues people do not understand is that marijuana is a much stronger drug than it was in decades past, due to crop engineering, Teitelbaum said. In fact, the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC 鈥� the chemical in marijuana that causes users to feel high 鈥� is five to seven times higher in the drug today than it was in the 1970s, he added.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 your father鈥檚 marijuana,鈥� said Teitelbaum, medical director of the UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center and an associate professor of psychiatry in the UF College of Medicine. 鈥淭he higher THC concentration is associated with more psychiatric problems and more dependence.鈥�
Because of the legalization of medical marijuana in certain states and the decriminalization of the drug in others, many people now see the drug as safe, and this perception directly affects use, Teitelbaum said.
鈥淲e know when you look at adolescents, initiation of a drug is inversely proportional to its perceived danger,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hroughout history if a drug has been perceived as safe and benign, it鈥檚 more likely to be tried by young people. But marijuana is not a benign drug. It is associated with addiction and learning problems.鈥�
Marijuana use can be particularly risky for adolescents, whose brains are still developing, Teitelbaum added. Typically, women鈥檚 brains reach full development in their early 20s, while men鈥檚 brains reach maturity in their mid-20s. Teens who have genetic predispositions for developing certain mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, are particularly at risk.
鈥淚ntroducing drugs with neurotoxic effects during this time, while the brain is still developing, can be very damaging. It鈥檚 similar to a pregnant woman drinking alcohol,鈥� he said.
In addition, teens who try marijuana before age 15 face a four times greater chance of developing an addiction later in life than their peers who don鈥檛 smoke pot, according to the book. Unfortunately, Teitelbaum says studies show that about 15 percent of eighth-grade students have already been exposed to the drug.
In addition to busting myths about marijuana, the book also aims to help parents navigate common conflicts in talking to their children about drug use and arm children with the information they need to make the best choices. A particularly tricky area for many parents is how to talk to their children about drugs they may have used themselves at some point. According to the Pew Research Center, 48 percent of Americans say they have tried marijuana.
鈥淭he more you can do to stop initiation of drugs and have honest and open communication, the better chance you have of not having your child develop a drug addiction,鈥� Teitelbaum said.
鈥淲eed: Family Guide to Marijuana Myths and Facts鈥� is available for purchase on the University Press of Florida website as well as on in both paperback and e-book.