Teens smoking weed..Is it a good idea ?

[jamesmartin]

Hi, I'm 17 and i ask this question for all the teenage smokers around to all the older bluelighter's who smoked the herb as a teen ....

I hit around 3-4 bowls a day for obvious reasons that im not going to list now ( i have a lot of reasons ) .
I started smoking almost 3 years ago . Gradually smoking more and more since i started (now at 3-4 bowls a day )

And today i was starting to question the long term health effects of smoking (and vaping sometimes) marijuana.

Many claim that marijuana is fairly safe and the side effects it does have are short lived and quite subtle (...of course we get the odd ball who develops severe anxiety or something)

I find it quite hard to believe (IF ITS TRUE-->) that people who smoke weed (as a habit . Not just people who do it once a while for laughs) as teens usually develop into mentally stable and generally healthy adults.

So im deciding to look into this as im thinking that i should maybe change my ways while i still can. ( So that im not fucked over when im older)

Along with my own personal research (i know. i UsedTFSE ) i was wondering ...

-Do you guys think that im doing some serious damage to my health at the rate that i'm using ? (mental and physical)

- And to bluelighters who were users of weed when they were teenagers- Have you noticed any long term effects from your usage as a teen or your usage in general ?


Thanks guys

 

[AussieSWIMer]

Hey mate,

I started smoking young and I can tell you 110% you should wait till your older. There many be minimal side effects now but the risk of deveolping a serious mental illness is high unless you hold off until your older. I wait till at least your early 20s.

BUT you have to be very very careful coming off it, because that's what fuked me, i stopped cold and 2 or 3 days later i had so so much energy and take speed and mdma for the following weeks didnt help and i ended up fuked, but what did it in the beginning what quiting weed so suddenly after 3 or 4 years. The way i would do it, and this is what i would tell me kids if they were in this situation- is go on some risperidone or an anti-phsycotic to ease your brain chemicals coming off it. i also remember a short course of an ssri helping get me back on track. back an anti-phsycotic is what you want because weed is one and your repectors are going to speed up when you take away to thing that's slowing them down. id honestly go to a clinic and see someone and see what they think. EDIT: i just re-read and it doesnt look like you are smoking THAT many cones, so instead of an anti-phsycotic you could just slowly cut back you smoking over the peroid of say 1-2months, i reckon.

but if you are going to keep smoking, keep stress to a minimum and try to find ways to alleviate stress. bad breakups, big emoitional things can trigger mental illness. and dont overdo it, like dont get to the point where you are waking and baking, be responsible maybe smoke at the end of the day when everythings finished to top it off and relax.

taking MDMA/speed when your young and smoking weed can really set your brain off track or actually get it back on track, i know this was the case with me, i cant say it would happen with everyone but it definatly put my steady weed habit out of wack and made me feel like i had a second take at life, MDMA that was.

hope this helps!

 

[AussieSWIMer]

Hi, I'm 17 and i ask this question for all the teenage smokers around to all the older bluelighter's who smoked the herb as a teen ....

I hit around 3-4 bowls a day for obvious reasons that im not going to list now ( i have a lot of reasons ) .
I started smoking almost 3 years ago . Gradually smoking more and more since i started (now at 3-4 bowls a day )

And today i was starting to question the long term health effects of smoking (and vaping sometimes) marijuana.

phsyically if you vasporizes the damage is minimal, mentally im not sure.

Many claim that marijuana is fairly safe and the side effects it does have are short lived and quite subtle (...of course we get the odd ball who develops severe anxiety or something)

I find it quite hard to believe (IF ITS TRUE-->) that people who smoke weed (as a habit . Not just people who do it once a while for laughs) as teens usually develop into mentally stable and generally healthy adults.

no that probably dont, i know i missed out on alot of sutle life skills that at the time i had no idea i should be learning, i also moved away from the main crowd type thing, i grew up before my time hanging out with people older then me then hibernated and smoked weed and missed some shit, but dont take it wrong i learnt ALOT of stuff and become a pretty good person (IMO) cause of it.

So im deciding to look into this as im thinking that i should maybe change my ways while i still can. ( So that im not fucked over when im older)

yeah do it bro, you have everything to gain and everything to lose on a plate, hold off till later or just smoke on the odd occasion

Along with my own personal research (i know. i UsedTFSE ) i was wondering ...

-Do you guys think that im doing some serious damage to my health at the rate that i'm using ? (mental and physical)

- And to bluelighters who were users of weed when they were teenagers- Have you noticed any long term effects from your usage as a teen or your usage in general ?


Thanks guys

 

[Cloudburst]

-Mental damage: I've been bipolar since I was 11 or 12. I'm talking full-blown psychosis, mania so intense you don't sleep for 12 days, several suicide attempts. I've been institutionalized 5 times. Strangely enough, I never smoked weed till I was 18. It did not affect me psychologically at all long-term. In fact, I use it medicinally when I can for this disorder along with the anxiety/insomnia associated with it.

-Physical damage: If you just vape and/or eat, you will basically have 0 long-term physical damage.

If you're 17 and think you're smoking too much (correct me if I'm wrong), that could mean you are:

a. Not *quite* mature enough. Maybe a year or so. 18 was the perfect age to start for me.

b. You could be mature at whatever level but have a psychological addiction. Your life could be unsatisfying and you need weed to satiate your desire at all times. Maybe something to look into and change. Weed is meant to be a source of satisfaction, not a crutch.

 

[lleno]

I can telll you that as a teeen I smoked lots of MJ,%) I was hooked from the first puff. For me MJ was the drug that intro'd me to the whole scene/lifestyle, which turn into heroin addiction for me by about age 22.[hardcore IV user, just to be clear, not a litttle whiff here and there. Now that's just my story, but you need to cosider it, because MJ is a gateway/stepping stone to hard stuff FOR SOME PEOPLE, that is a fact. I htink a few simple ?'s might give you an idea of where you are going...I'll let u ask those questions to yourself..so bottom line fro me, MJ did affect my health, just not how you might have first thought.Just to be clear, I am a mental wreck, but I'm getting better. It is hard work, and it took long time to get where I am now...I hope this has given you some perspective....

 

[sunshinefix]

I would feel weird about telling you "no, don't do drugs when you're young" and yet I did. I don't know, I started when I was 15. I don't think there are many chances to be physically damaged. I would say that it's mainly social and academic challenges that you face when smoking at such a young age.

Then again, I never have needed much sleep and I have an excellent memory for stuff I learned in school so I never really needed to work too hard throughout high school and college in terms of studying for tests and stuff. I got by in high school but took AP classes while smoking pretty frequently. I started smoking daily in college and got my BFA and now I'm getting my MLIS.

I guess what I'm getting at is that if you think you can handle your life while smoking and know how to be responsible it is ok that you smoke but if you are just going to be a bum then you shouldn't smoke as a "kid."

 

[lostsoul.On.E]

I guess what I'm getting at is that if you think you can handle your life while smoking and know how to be responsible it is ok that you smoke but if you are just going to be a bum then you shouldn't smoke as a "kid."

took the words out of my mouth. ive heard many people say, wait till you get your life on track before smoking, because some people just get too lazy and all they do is work so they can support there everyday smoking habit. i have soo many friends that all they do is go from one person to the next all day long just to keep smoking blunts. some people can handle it, some cant.

 

[Pillthrill]

Personally I don't encourage marijuana use until 18. You are still growing, your brain and social skills are still developing and being a teen can be a difficult time as it is. Getting homework done is hard enough not stoned.
When you are 18, you are a legal adult and responsible for you own actions. You have the choice to continue with school or go to work and you are responsible for the outcomes of your choices.
I waited until I was 18 to smoke and I think that was a good choice.

 

[Sahand]

You mean you're 18 right? Edit that quick. And people who start smoking at real young ages, in large amounts, stunt their growth mentally and physcially. I'm 18 and have seen that first hand. You should usually wait until you are 18 to reduce all damage. Your short term memory will suck a lot more if you start young.

 

[Pillthrill]

No, I'm 23. I didn't smoke until I was 18.

 

[jamesmartin]

So would you guys say that your short term memory is affected in the long term?

I thought it was only a short term effect from weed ?

And also, is that true !!! Weed slows receptors down !??!? Ifso will my brain recover after this long of me smoking ?

 

[weekend addiction]

Being a pothead makes life a little harder for people at your age. I would say keep smoking weed but only one bowl a day if you want to be safe about it...

 

[Chainer]

1) Long term damage? Hmmm... Well... You're short term memory will be shot, and generally learning becomes a bit more difficult. I too am an everyday smoker and was way before I was 17. Taking breaks when you need to should be more than enough. I assume you're only smoking about .3-.5 a day which isn't a heavy smoking habit.

2) Noticed Effects of smoking since I was a teenage to now (6+ years? No, more probably)... Well, my wallet is noticeably lighter. Cognitively, I haven't noticed any long term or permanent damage. I'm a dual major in a good school and I can keep up and push the pace. Biggest set back is everytime you want a job you need to worry about DTs, but that's another story entirely. I find that taking a week long break makes me regain any edge that smoking daily make dull -- I suggest you get used to taking breaks habitually. Every 2 months, stop for a week. If you have a lot of trouble doing this, you might want to think about smoking less often. Also, I lift everyday, and have not noticed respitory issues or anything of the like from MJ, maybe from the pack of cigs every week - two weeks I smoke em.

Also worth mentioning is that while weed may not really be a "gateway drug," the company that weed surrounds itself with (dealers, shady kids, etc) will likely be into other drugs and make you curious. If you have anxiety issues or mental health issues like depression, try not to use weed as a crutch -- that's where you become most mentally "dependent".

Anyway, I was smoking a lot more than you at your age and I am turning out well. YMMV.

 

[Vader]

I started smoking when I was 12 and I have noticed no adverse affects. I have a degree and a girlfriend. I'm in perfectly good health. I do plenty of outdoor activities and have a wide range of interests. At one point, cannabis gave me anxiety problems, but I believe that to be related to a spell of stimulant abuse. As chainer says, the biggest danger is that you end up hanging around with dodgy sorts, and suddenly a bit of MDMA or coke or ket or whatever doesn't seem like a big deal.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

I wouldn't recommend smoking before the age of 10 but anything above that is okay IME as long as it's not excessive and is limited to evenings.

 

[sunshinefix]

^ All these "facts" you guys are talking about....they are so not facts. I'd actually require a legit study on memory, physical ability and stature, and cognitive ability to make any claims as to the dangers of cannabis in the long term to be convinced.

I can say from experience, if there are any affects from cannabis use during adolescence it is academic and social-- maybe.

 

[Chainer]

^ All these "facts" you guys are talking about....they are so not facts. I'd actually require a legit study on memory, physical ability and stature, and cognitive ability to make any claims as to the dangers of cannabis in the long term to be convinced.

It's well known that cannabis effects the hippocampus.

Yes it is a Government Website, but it does contain interesting information. Take it for what it is worth. It's not all bullshit.

NSFW:

Acute (present during intoxication)

• Impairs short-term memory
• Impairs attention, judgment, and other cognitive functions
• Impairs coordination and balance
• Increases heart rate

Persistent (lasting longer than intoxication, but may not be permanent)

• Impairs memory and learning skills

Long-term (cumulative, potentially permanent effects of chronic abuse)

• Can lead to addiction
• Increases risk of chronic cough, bronchitis, and emphysema

As I stated, taking a break will reduce any negative side effects. Obviously heavy smoking = irritation of lungs and increased possibility of bronchitis and emphysema. Cannabis can also, oddly enough, act as a stimulant or as a sedative -- some people sleep, some people can't sleep (also strain dependent).

Of course, another source is Wiki, which states:

NSFW:

Experiments on animal and human tissue have demonstrated disruption of short-term memory,[10] which is consistent with the abundance of CB1 receptors on the hippocampus, the region of the brain most closely associated with memory. Cannabinoids inhibit the release of several neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, like acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and glutamate, resulting in a major decrease in neuronal activity in that region. This decrease in activity resembles a "temporary hippocampal lesion."[10] In the end, this process could lead to the blocking of cellular processes that are associated with memory formation.
Cannabis consumption affects motor skills, reflexes, and attention, which is important when considering its effects on driving; however, this does not necessarily reflect impairment in terms of performance effectiveness, since few studies report increased accident risk.

Another good read regarding cannabis and short-term memory impairment over time. This one states the same as the others, generally that smoking will reduce your short-term memory for a little while and produce a "hangover" effect.

From experience, I agree with most of these accounts.

Unfortunately, because of the US government, there aren't as many long-term studies that I'd like. I can check out my psychology report database if you want any official studies, but know that many of those are filled with bullshit.

 

[weekend addiction]

^ All these "facts" you guys are talking about....they are so not facts. I'd actually require a legit study on memory, physical ability and stature, and cognitive ability to make any claims as to the dangers of cannabis in the long term to be convinced.

I can say from experience, if there are any affects from cannabis use during adolescence it is academic and social-- maybe.

I know many people who smoked a lot when they were young. Myself included. I based my statement on that.

 

[CRITICALMASS]

I guess what I'm getting at is that if you think you can handle your life while smoking and know how to be responsible it is ok that you smoke but if you are just going to be a bum then you shouldn't smoke as a "kid."

^^^^ This

I started smoking daily when I was 14 and haven't looked back since. Now I'm in a good college with a job waiting for me as soon as I graduate and am engaged. Physically the only problems I have are the same ones I've had since I was a kid and when I was in HS I was a two sport athlete so I haven't noticed any physical effects from smoking so much.

Mental side effects however....ummm what was the question again?

But seriously I'm Bi-Polar and I've found (and my therapists have backed this up surprisingly) that I keep it under control when I'm smoking regularly.

I think if you are mature enough to handle everything that's going on while smoking weed then you don't have anything to worry about just enjoy it and have fun. You're only young once bud %)

 

[DigThatFunk]

Well, as you've noticed, the answer is both Yes and No. It will 100% depend on who you're asking. For me, it was fine. I was always a procrastinator, so, while the weed didn't help that, it also didn't make it any worse. I have lots of friends who I've smoked with since we were all teens, some started at 13-14, some of us started at 18. Most of us around 15 or so though, with the very rare "once a week smoke". Then "once every few days", then "fuck it, lets get high!". Now, some of these kids are still doin the same thing, bummin around and smoking. Some of us are successful as hell, with Bachelor's and Master's degrees, and high-paying jobs(most of us being in our mid-20's now). So, the question isn't really EVER going to be "Is it okay to smoke weed as a teen?", because there isn't even an answer.

You've been smoking a few bowls a day now, so, I imagine youve been smoking for a little while at least. Long enough for you to know the answer. I know, it would be great if someone said "Yeah kid, get high all you want. It won't matter!", but it would be a lie. Because we don't know how it will affect YOU. We all know about the physical(I won't lie, I've had bronchitis a few times in my smoking career. But, I use to get it way more as a child, before I ever smoked, than I do now. So, who knows?), but if you remain healthy(weed can be a very sedentary drug---don't let it make you so), get out and exercise, socialize, and keep up on the more important shit in life(school, work, family)...well then, hell yeah, keep tokin up if you're so inclined. Most of the concrete detrimental effects associated with weed are due to laws unjustly imposed upon this natural wonder. Beyond that, it's your call.