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Caitlin Murphy
PBH 504 – Alcohol Drugs & Society
Cannabis Consumption Concern
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As a Pine Bush high school physical education and health teacher I will be collecting

secondary data through online databases and professional resources regarding marijuana use

among our student population. This past year there were several overdoses(at least 3) inside of

the school building with alarmingly high THC levels resulting in hospitalization(News 12, 2022).

The prevalence of youth cannabis consumption seems to go beyond Pine Bush School district,

“among current marijuana users approximately one in four adolescents(26%) and one in five

adults(21-22%) meets diagnostic criteria for cannabis use disorder”( Salas-Wright, 2017). The

same articles shares that over 55% of American youth have reported using marijuana at least one

time in their life, while 22% of those people currently using. Healthy People agree that action

needs to be taken before our younger generation face serious health risks, so they created a goal

by 2030 to “Reduce the proportion of people who had marijuana use disorder in the past

year”(Healthy People 2030).

There are short term and long term affects that adolescents are putting themselves at risk

for by consuming cannabis at such an early age. Firstly, similar to what happened at our high

school the THC levels in the newer products have students and adolescents CUDs and

emergency related health care visits. Physically by consuming cannabis adolescents are at risk of

cognition impairing effects. Intoxication, impairments to attention, memory, executive function,

processing and decreased IQ levels. Earlier, heavier consumption show larger cognitive effects in

the future. Psychologically there are mental health results as well. This includes euphoria,

anxiety, paranoia on the short term level. Longer term found that adolescent onset cannabis use is

associated with increase in ‘self – medication’ for depression and anxiety as well as reducing

stress. Ironically the odds of depression, suicidal ideations and suicide attempts in young

adulthood have been proven to increase the more cannabis is consumed. Drug engagement in any
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form, in this case cannabis consumption open the gate to transition into more serious illicit drugs

including opioids and stimulants(Hammond, p226). Lastly adolescent cannabis use puts the

population at risk for addictive disorders. The goal of this assessment is to recognize that there is

a concern regarding cannabis and our younger population collect data on the determinants of

health, and way to improve the current health concern. The data will then be used to identify

what services, resources, and curriculum the school must incorporate for the students.

There are many factors to consider when talking about the adolescent cannabis

consumption concern. The individual health behaviors the child makes is one portion. It’s also

important to hold those surrounding that child. Whether it’s the public policies instilled,

community influence or peer/family aspects they all play a part in the choice whether to consume

marijuana or not. Education plays a crucial role in being able to make educated decisions as well.

The chart below sheds light on the determinants of health, health disparities and influences they

play on the adolescents’ decision to cannabis consumption.

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Determinant of Health
Due to the rising
legalization status of
marijuana in the United
States, those that legalized
experienced higher levels of
cannabis consumption
among adults and
adolescents.
Educational Achievement
Family Influence
Peer Influence/pressure
Socioeconomic Status
Type of Determinant
Health services are responsible for
the legalization of recreation
cannabis consumption.
There is more prevalence of
marijuana use during early
adolescent among those families
who had no secondary education
completed in the home, falling
under the health services and social
environment categories.
If siblings and adult/parent
consume cannabis during early
adolescence the greater chance of
adolescence also taking part. The
household dynamic(social
environment) matters when
substance abuse is taking place.
Increase in time spent around peers
using cannabis in both early and
late adolescence was significantly
associated with an increased
likelihood of adolescent co-using.
This social environment is a
determinant for adolescents and
should be addressed.
The district is extremely diverse
and many students come from low
SES or high SES which falls under
the Social environment and social
characteristics determinant. Those
adolescents surrounded by
substance abuse at home due to
SES and struggles are more likely
Level of Influence Source
Community and public (Estoup, 2016)
policy are influencing
adolescent cannabis
consumption because it is
desensitized in the
environment they live in.
Parents and guardians who (Widome, 2013)
have not achieved more
than a high school education
are limited in their
knowledge pertaining to
health behaviors. This is
important for the
interpersonal need for
education which can also
mean a lack of community
influence.
Families play a role in (D’Amico, 2020)
determining whether or not
the adolescent consumes
cannabis and even other
substances. It’s important
the interpersonal
relationships are strong and
educated.
This interpersonal (D’Amico, 2020)
association with friends
greatly effects how the
adolescent chooses their
own health behaviors.
This is an interpersonal (Bello, 2019)
factor influence a child’s
health behavior. Adult
socioeconomic position is
out of the adolescent’s
control and will likely
follow a family pursuit.
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Lack of sleep and poor
quality of sleep has been
associated with increased
odds of substance abuse,
marijuana included.
Male youth are more likely
than female youth to use
marijuana in both forms.
States that permit sales of
marijuana vapes are more at
risk for youth consumption.
The products are appealing
as a method of consumption
because it’s easier to
conceal while also
providing flavors.
Students who perceive that
there is a low risk of harm
associated with marijuana
use are more likely to
consume marijuana in any
form.
Adolescents have been
reported to ‘self-medicate’
depression and anxiety to
reduce stress through
consuming cannabis.
to consume cannabis as well.
The reasoning for poor sleep habits
could be a number of determinants.
The physical environment in which
you live in could create a situation
where you cannot sleep or insomnia
and sleep disorders could be a
genetic/biological result.
Being a male falls under the
genetic/biological determinant.
This type of state is creating a
physical environment determinant
enabling adolescents by allowing
concealed products to be sold.
Lack of education on the effects of
marijuana consumption would be
under the health services category.
Consuming cannabis would be
considered a health behavior.
Individual influencing (Maultsby, 2021)
factors are the adolescent
not going to bed early
enough, staying on
electronics and
interpersonal influencing
factors could be living
situations out of child’s
control.
This is an individual (Kritikos, 2021)
influencing factor which
men should certainly be
aware of because they are
more likely to consume
marijuana which could
result in CUD.
Public policy is the (Kritikos, 2021)
influencing factor for the
younger generations to feel
inclined and interested in
the vaping cannabis
products.
The need for health (Kritikos, 2021)
education to improve
becomes an institutional
influencing factor.
Depression and anxiety can (Hammond,
be considered an 2020)
intrapersonal factor.
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After analyzing the data, it is evident that cannabis consumption is a major health

concern among the younger population. So much so that “Cannabis is the most commonly used

federally illicit drug among U.S. adolescents and the most common drug problem, reported by

U.S. teens…”( Hammond 2020, p 222). The data makes it known that there is more than one

factor coming in to play. A lot of these students are struggling and need advice, support, and

services to improve their lives. The first suggestion I have is to create a curriculum that provides

the best social and emotion learning opportunity for students of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and

economic backgrounds so they feel comfortable to learn and partake(Sanches, 2016). Secondly,

it is imperative that psychoeducation is provided to adults and adolescents about the

consequences of underage marijuana use to the students, families and entire community(Nair,

2022). Lastly, students and families will also have access to more support groups, extracurricular

activities, and services to help their improve their mental health status(Hawke, 2020). I would

like to improve the resources to include counseling, meditation and yoga practices, bully

prevention clubs, support groups and much more. All of these actions will lead to a better

educated younger generation, family, and overall community to finally be able to take a stand on

the cannabis consumption concern for our future.

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References

Addiction. Addiction - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/addiction

Bello, Khoddam, R., Stone, M. D., Cho, J., Yoon, Y., Lee, J. O., & Leventhal, A. M. (2019).
Poly-product drug use disparities in adolescents of lower socioeconomic status: Emerging trends
in nicotine products, marijuana products, and prescription drugs. Behaviour Research and
Therapy, 115, 103–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2018.11.014

D’Amico, Rodriguez, A., Tucker, J. S., Dunbar, M. S., Pedersen, E. R., Shih, R. A., Davis, J. P.,
& Seelam, R. (2020). Early and Late Adolescent Factors that Predict Co-use of Cannabis with
Alcohol and Tobacco in Young Adulthood. Prevention Science, 21(4), 530–544.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01086-7

Estoup, Moise-Campbell, C., Varma, M., & Stewart, D. G. (2016). The Impact of Marijuana
Legalization on Adolescent Use, Consequences, and Perceived Risk. Substance Use & Misuse,
51(14), 1881–1887. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2016.1200623

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Kritikos, Johnson, J. K., & Hodgkin, D. (2021). Past 30–Day Marijuana Vaping: Prevalence and
Predictors of Use in a Nationally Representative Study of U.S. Youth. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 60(2), 258–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.06.029

Maultsby, Luk, J. W., Sita, K. R., Lewin, D., Simons-Morton, B. G., & Haynie, D. L. (2021).
Three Dimensions of Sleep, Somatic Symptoms, and Marijuana Use in U.S. High School
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Nair, Elliott, A., Arnold, S., Flachs, A., Beaulieu, B., & Marceau, K. (2022). Adolescent
substance use: Findings from a state-wide pilot parent education program. BMC Public Health,
22(1), 557–557. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12899-2
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Mar 15, 2022. (n.d.). Officials: Several Pine Bush HS students apparently overdosed on
marijuana with high THC Levels. News 12 - Hudson Valley. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/officials-several-pine-bush-hs-students-apparently-overdosed-
on-marijuana-with-high-thc-levels

Salas-Wright, & Vaughn, M. G. (2017). Marijuana use among young people in an era of policy
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Sanchez, Sanudo, A., Andreoni, S., Schneider, D., Pereira, A. P. D., & Faggiano, F. (2016).
Efficacy evaluation of the school program Unplugged for drug use prevention among Brazilian
adolescents. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1206–1206. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3877-0

Widome, Wall, M. M., Laska, M. N., Eisenberg, M. E., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2013).
Adolescence to Young Adulthood: When Socioeconomic Disparities in Substance Use Emerge.
Substance Use & Misuse, 48(14), 1522–1529. https://doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2013.800885