The Berrien County Health Department is once again reminding teens and parents about the dangers of underage marijuana use. Prevention specialist Lisa Peeples-Hurst tells us many teens don’t appreciate the risks of marijuana use, especially since it was legalized for adults in Michigan. With campaigns to spread awareness, has teen marijuana use slowed down?
“It’s still going up,” Peeples-Hurst said. “Remember these are cases that are reported and that we know about. We did have quite an increase in vaping this year as we did a number of vaping presentations in schools. But now it’s just not vaping the-juice. It’s vaping THC as well.”
Peeples-Hurst says the brain doesn’t stop developing until around 21 to 25. So, when a teen uses marijuana, it can affect their brain function.
“We’re talking about issues with attention and concentration, problem solving, definitely memory. We’re talking about poor academic performance, lack of balance and coordination.”
According to a 2021 survey from the CDC, nearly 37% of Michigan high school seniors reported they had used marijuana in their lifetime, and more than 22% reported using marijuana at least once in the past 30 days. Peeples-Hurst says parents should talk to their kids about the risks of marijuana use and watch out for signs the kids are using. The health department has a website with information to help.
