Followers; To eat or not to eat? That is the question. The re-invention of marijuana has gotten extremely creative. Marijuana being transferred to food substances is not new, however the rise in consumption has been the trending topic among the young far west community. For this month’s blog we will learn the effects marijuana has on a young brain, the manipulation that can be done to marijuana for eating purposes.
How are edibles made, you may ask? Well, believe it or not marijuana can be into butter and oil. Yes, butter and oil. It is quite frightening, to say the least. When it comes to edibles, in comparison to smoking, the effects are long lasting because it is being absorbed through your stomach. An edible can have a lasting effect of 30 min- 4 hours long. With this new age of heating cannabis to make it into an oil, butter and Marijuana extract, the possibilities are endless. Marijuana has become easier to mask via food, and youth are loving it. The most common types of edibles that utilize HTC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the active ingredient in Marijuana, are brownies, cookies, gummies, rice krispies and more. However, edibles can be quite dangerous. The reason they are popular among youth, is because it is harder to detect, as well as the flavor combinations it allows. Edibles are meant to look and taste like candy and/or a pastry; even with THC in it. This allows for youth to over eat which can lead to health issues, poor decision making, and even addiction.
This is not all we should worry about. Let’s talk about the effects of exposure to marijuana at a young age. Studies have shown exposure to marijuana, specifically during brain development can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain. It’s important to highlight the fact that a young person’s brain does not finish developing until age 25. Therefore, this gives plenty of room for damage to be done to the young brain due to long term exposure to a drug like Marijuana. In the long run a person in their adult life may experience problems with things such as memory loss, trouble controlling emotions, motor skills, difficulty with problem solving, and studies even show a relationship between marijuana and IQ loss.
Now, I ask again, to eat or not to eat? As the edible trend rises, the research does too. It is important to share with your teens the effects marijuana have on adolescents whether it be smoking or edible. Please check out the resource pages provided below, as well as our website at carecoalitionaz.org.
