Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, and Vaping

With how much drugs–especially weed– are shown on TV, in the movies, and talked about in conversations, it may seem like most teens use them. However, the majority of teens in Montana actually don't use drugs, according to recent surveys– even marijuana. 

By far, the most commonly used drug by teens is marijuana. It can be rolled into cigarettes (joints) or cigars (blunts), inhaled using glass pipes or water pipes called bongs, inhaled using vaping devices that pull the active ingredients from marijuana into the vapor, or consumed in food (sometimes called edibles).

Short-term effects include:

• Altered senses (such as seeing brighter colors).
• Altered sense of time.
• Changes in mood.
• Slow reaction time.
• Problems with balance and coordination.
• Increased appetite.
• Trouble thinking and solving problems.
• Memory problems.
• Hallucinations (seeing things that aren't really there).
• Delusions (believing something that is not true).
• Psychosis (having false thoughts) (risk is highest with regular use of high potency marijuana).

Mixing marijuana with alcohol can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure. It can also cause further slowing of the ability to think, solve problems, and react.

Long-term effects include:

• Increased heart rate. When someone uses marijuana, the heart rate (normally 70 to 80 beats per minute)—may increase or even double, especially if other drugs are taken with the marijuana. This increases the risk of a heart attack.
• Respiratory (lung and breathing) problems. Smoke from marijuana irritates the lungs and can cause a chronic cough—effects similar to those from regular cigarettes. While research has not found a strong association between marijuana and lung cancer, many people who smoke marijuana also smoke cigarettes, which do cause cancer.
• Increased risk for mental health problems. Marijuana use has been linked with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among teens. In addition, research suggests that smoking marijuana during the teen years might increase the risk of psychosis in people with a genetic risk for developing schizophrenia. Researchers are still studying the relationship between these mental health problems and marijuana use.

While there are generally no reports of people fatally overdosing (dying) on marijuana alone, people can feel some very uncomfortable side effects, especially when using marijuana with high THC levels. Some people who use marijuana land in emergency rooms, reporting unease and shaking, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and in rare cases, extreme psychotic reactions. Furthermore, pot can harm school performance, reduce life satisfaction, cause impaired driving that leads to accidents and injury to yourself and others, and cause severe nausea and vomiting.

Learn the facts about drugs and keep yourself safe! Trusted resources include:

• Drug Facts.
• Young Women and Drugs.
• Young Men and Marijuana.

Surveys of Montana teens show a significant number of teens have tried smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco. You have probably already heard the health risks of smoking. But for the same reason why teens are more at risk for alcohol addiction (alcoholism), they are also at risk for smoking addiction. The younger a person starts smoking, the quicker and stronger addiction can be. Therefore, we do not recommend smoking at any age. If you have already started using tobacco, let your healthcare provider know so we can help you quit!

You're probably more familiar with vaping, also called Juuling (based on Juul, the name brand of one of the most popular vaping devices).

While traditional tobacco use is declining, vaping rates have blown up in the last few years, particularly among teens. Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. The term is used because e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke but rather aerosol.

You may think vaping is safe because it's just water vapor and comes in popular flavors instead of tasting like a cigarette. However, the vapor that comes from vape pens is not just water vapor but also includes fine particles containing varying amounts of toxic chemicals. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, lung, and heart disease. Furthermore, vaping may be more addictive than smoking because the government doesn't regulate vape pods like cigarettes and other tobacco products. 1 Juul pod contains as much addictive nicotine as a pack of cigarettes!

Learn the facts about tobacco and vaping, and keep yourself safe! Trusted resources include: 

• The Impact of E-Cigarettes (Vaping) on the Lungs.
• General Info on Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping.
• Young Women and Tobacco.
• Young Men and Tobacco.