Why is My Child Smoking Pot?
The negative effects of smoking pot are well documented; increased risk of cancer, abnormal cell division, altered mental functioning and risk of brain abnormalities to name just a few. 
The big question then is why a child would ever think of smoking marijuana. How did he or she start smoking? What triggered the smoking? Surprisingly, most pot smokers say they had their first puff before their eighteenth birthday. At this young age, kids don’t really think that smoking can be addictive. To them, they imagine that they can test-smoke a couple of times and then take it or leave it. Before long they are usually addicted and smoking on a regular basis. They are actually likely to experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms just like adults.
There are several reasons why a kid may start smoking.
- Most kids are only experimenting and want to see what the fuss is all about. They have probably heard about pot several times and even know that the drug is illegal, but are excited to try it out. Since smoking pot is prohibited in most countries, children who get away with the first attempt without being caught can become exited at flouting the law.
- Many kids also say that they smoke pot because they want to appear older. According to them, if the older kids around them are smoking, they feel they must smoke as well if they want to be regarded with the same respect as the others.
- A number of children smoke when they feel low self-esteem. Sometimes they have to smoke to be accepted by their peers. Smoking pot, when others are doing the same, may earn them new friends and a certain status among their peers.
- A number of kids also smoke as a sign of rebellion, especially towards parents or those in authority.
- Of course most kids will start smoking if their friends are smoking.
- The child may also smoke pot if they have grown up in an environment where everybody else smoked it; parents, siblings, grandparents and others.
Summary
If you find out that your child is smoking pot, don’t panic. There are several ways to help them.
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Originally posted on April 1, 2014 @ 8:00 am
