By Miriam Mandel MD
The rate of psychosis has risen by 24% since marijuana has become legal for recreational use in Colorado and continues to increase.
The rate for chronic major depression is four times as likely in those who use marijuana (even when they have never been depressed before!)
Kids under 15 that start to use cannabis have a more than double chance of psychotic or schizophrenic-like episodes later on in life. (This increases significantly if there is a family history)
The general message kids are getting is that marijuana is safe because it is legal. This is simply NOT the case!
The adolescent brain is many times more vulnerable than the adult brain (over 25 years old)
Shall I go on? I could, but you get the point.
Maybe your kids would choose to use still?
But perhaps they wouldn’t!
Don’t you think we owe it to them to learn the facts?
I see this silence as a huge failure on our part as parents and educators.
Ignorance is a choice. This information may be challenging to get, but it’s there. Don’t turn your back on the facts and your kids.
Note from Dr. Mandel.
“I left clinical pediatrics and have been researching and teaching the connections between mind and body medicine for over 13 years. My passion is teaching individuals (especially teens and their families) to look for the answers they are seeking on the INSIDE, where all the answers lie.
I currently see individual clients but most of my time is working with K-12 staff (and parents) in public and private schools helping them learn to self regulate and self soothe using their physiology and mindset. I support them in learning these skills for themselves and the natural progression of teaching it to their students by being the example. It’s a win-win.’
She can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-mandel-md-4385541ba/
Thanks for sharing such valuable information. But, I think it can be solved if the schools and the parents take action and educate children about cannabis smoking and its terrible impact on adolescent brains.