Causal Factors in Adolescent Marijuana Use - Research Paper Example

? An Examination of Causal Factors in Adolescent Marijuana Use & Issues to be Addressed in Treatment HERE] [YOUR HERE] AnExamination of Causal Factors in Adolescent Marijuana Use & Issues to be Addressed in Treatment Introduction Marijuana, also called cannabis, is a substance derived from the hemp plant known as Cannabis sativa. When the leaves, stems, seeds, and even flowers of this plant are shredded and dried, they become the substance known as marijuana, an illegal drug in the United States. Most often it is consumed by being smoked, either by being packed or put into a pipe or otherwise by what is commonly called a “joint”, which is marijuana rolled into cigarette-like oblong shapes using the dry substance and rolling papers. Marijuana can also be smoked in what is called a “blunt”, which is when tobacco is emptied from a cigar and then replaced with a mixture of both marijuana and tobacco (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). This enables marijuana to be mixed with things such as nicotine and other harmful, addictive chemicals normally found in cigarettes (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Marijuana is harmful even when not mixed with nicotine. The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also called THC in its shortened form (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). When marijuana is smoked, THC is rapidly processed from the lungs through the bloodstream and passed into areas of the body, including the brain (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). It then acts on different areas of the brain that have “cannabinoid receptors”, causing a pleasurable “high” feeling (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Different areas of the brain have different numbers of these receptors, but the highest numbers have been found in the areas housing pleasure centers, memory, thinking, concentration, and coordinated movement (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Marijuana has the potential to become addictive, with studies showing that 9% of those who begin using marijuana recreationally become addicted to the drug (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Marijuana is a drug that certainly does not discriminate based on age. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, with somewhat disturbing trends among adolescents, including those as young as eleven or twelve (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). In 2009, a study showed that 16.7 million Americans aged twelve or older had used marijuana at least once in the month before the survey, which was an increase over the years of 2002-2008 combined (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Studies also showed significant increase in marijuana use for those between the ages of twelve and seventeen, with the percentage jumping from 6.7% in 2008 to 7.3% in 2009 (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Marijuana use is on the rise, and its users are becoming younger and younger. It is not enough to realize that adolescents are using marijuana. The factors must be examined as to why youngsters are turning to an illicit, illegal drug. What makes those between the ages of twelve and seventeen want to smoke marijuana and potentially harm themselves in ways beyond their comprehension? The main causal factors in adolescent marijuana use still subscribe to a wide variety of categories, including social factors such as peer pressure and/or peer influences, background factors such as parental involvement or lack thereof in the lives of the adolescent, and personal factors such as low self-control, externalizing or internalizing behaviors, or attention-seeking behavior from the adolescent themselves. Causal Factors in Marijuana Usage among Adolescents Without a doubt, peer pressure and/or peer influence are two of the main reasons that adolescents use marijuana. Research has shown a significant impact between the behavior of one adolescent and the behavior of their peer group, or in plain words, those that they are around most of the day, both during and after school hours (Ali, Amailchuk & Dwyer, 2011). Studies have also shown that a 10% increase in close friends using marijuana will increase the likelihood of marijuana by more than 2% (Ali, Amailchuk & Dwyer, 2011). Also, a 10% increase in marijuana use among grade-level peers is associated with a 4.4% increase in individual marijuana use (Ali, Amailchuk & Dwyer, 2011). It is no secret that at the time of adolescence, children are almost desperate to fit in and be recognized by those that they keep company with. If those that they are around use drugs, chances are higher that an individual adolescent will as well, if only to “go along with the crowd”, as the saying goes. Peer influences are not the only factors in adolescent marijuana use. Background factors such as family environment also must be taken into account when assessing risk factors for marijuana use. Specifically, in a research study using face-to-face interviews, the influence that parents play in the lives of their adolescents was examined when it came to marijuana usage. It was found that parents who had a lower level of involvement with their children in their middle-school years, as well as those that used coercive parenting techniques, were actually contributing to marijuana use rather than the detracting from it (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2005). In addition, it is interesting to note that parental monitoring may not exactly detract from the risk of using marijuana in and of itself, but may help in decreasing marijuana use one the adolescent had been exposed to it (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2005). To summarize these findings, it was found that children with parents who had a high level of involvement in their lives showed decreased desire to experiment or become marijuana users, but parental monitoring in and of itself was not enough (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2005). The parents that were the most active in the lives of their children, along with providing strong guidance and discipline that did not involve coercive techniques (e.g. threats of punishment that were never carried out), had the greatest influence over their adolescents either refusing marijuana altogether or the least risk of becoming long-term marijuana users (Chen, Storr & Anthony, 2005). Therefore, it can be said that adolescents living in homes where marijuana usage is not discussed or is regarded as a non-issue may be at higher risk of using the substance. In keeping with the honesty of examining all factors, it must be noted that part of the risk factors for marijuana use entails a closer look at the adolescents themselves. In a longitudinal research study that employed various factors over several categories of life, five different subgroups of marijuana users were examined from early adolescence through to adulthood for any risk factors that might predict marijuana use (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). It was found that certain personality traits existed among chronic marijuana users, more so than any other group examined including those that simply “experimented” with the drug and those that used marijuana “intermittently” (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). These factors included low self-control, externalizing behaviors, and tendency to gravitate towards sensation-seeking experiences (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). The biggest risk factor that distinguished chronic marijuana users from others was externalizing behaviors, including rebelliousness, delinquency, and aggressive behavior (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). It was hypothesized, though not fully substantiated, that externalizing personality attributes may have the effect of reflecting behaviors that are considered unconventional, as well as serving to make it seem as though marijuana use is not considered harmful or unlawful to the adolescent (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). It was also noted that chronic marijuana users exhibited a higher tendency towards sensation seeking and “novel” experiences, which was noted to be another risk factor in adolescent marijuana use (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). In addition, those that were chronic users of marijuana displayed low self-control or a lack of self-control (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). Due to this, adolescents that use marijuana may do so due to a failure to meet expectations made by both themselves and others, as well as failure to maintain positive social relationships (Brook, Zhang & Brook, 2011). This leads back to the “peer influences” of marijuana use among adolescents, and suggests that future studies may benefit from looking at different peer groups in relation to adolescent marijuana use. Issues to be Addressed in Treatment Just as there can be no doubt about main causal factors in adolescent marijuana use, there can be no doubt that all causal factors, as far as it is possible, need to be addressed in treatment. In 2008, marijuana accounted for 322,000 or 17% of all admissions to treatment programs, which was second only to opiates (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Out of this, 30% of these admissions were in the 12-17 year age range (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010). Though it is gratifying to see that adolescents are seeking treatment, causal factors must be addressed for treatment success, and just as causal factors can be narrowed down but not pinpointed completely, the same is true of treatment approaches. In short, the causal factors that must be addressed in treatment would be completely specific to the adolescent that was seeking treatment in the first place. For example, an adolescent with a good family structure and home support system yet possessing low self-confidence and external behaviorisms would benefit from what is known as Multidimensional Family Therapy as well as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, through which perceptions about themselves and drug use would hopefully be challenged and reworked (Diamond, Godley, Liddle, Sampl, Webb, Tims, & Meyers 2002). The approach of Motivational Enhancement Therapy would be more appropriate for an adolescent that began marijuana use almost solely due to peer pressure, with the pretense being that the greatest motivation for change comes from within, and not from without (Diamond, Godley, Liddle, Sampl, Webb, Tims, & Meyers 2002). Though both of these approaches would hopefully have the same result, and one less adolescent would be using marijuana, the causal factors that would need to be isolated are so specific to the situation that it is nearly impossible to state categorically and without fail what would need to be addressed generally in treatment. It may be well to look instead to a more rounded treatment approach in dealing with adolescent marijuana addition. Through a research study which employed a five-part therapy approach, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Enhancement Theory (MET) approaches were both applied singularly to adolescents in one-on-one situations (Diamond, Godley, Liddle, Sampl, Webb, Tims, & Meyers 2002). In addition, family therapy, putting in place a family support network, and community reinforcement were also offered (Diamond, Godley, Liddle, Sampl, Webb, Tims, & Meyers 2002). Through all of these approaches combined together, adolescents that were in treatment for marijuana use showed promising signs of making a full recovery with no relapse in illicit drug use (Diamond, Godley, Liddle, Sampl, Webb, Tims, & Meyers 2002). This may go a long way towards showing that not one approach can be used in all adolescents, bringing to light the issue that as each adolescent or teenager is different, so may be the rationale behind their marijuana use. If given the opportunity for suggestion to a prevention program, it would be my opinion that it is not enough to address the factors for risk to adults and adolescents separately. Adults have statistic after statistic thrown at them, while adolescents are smothered with “just say no” approaches. Instead, offering family-based prevention programs in which families learn different ways to communicate with and approach each other, along with stressing that the bond between a parent and child is often the most important in avoiding marijuana use, may go further in aiding prevention. Family-based therapy during treatment is fine, but if a prevention program were in place that offered therapy techniques before the marijuana use started, it would without a doubt lessen the suffering of families along with allowing adolescents and the adults in their lives greater communication and time with each other. It would also be useful to offer these programs in a community setting, whereby adults could speak with each other and possibly gain insight as well as strength while attempting to keep good relationships with their adolescents and keep them from using marijuana altogether. Conclusion Marijuana use is a widespread issue among adolescents. Children are being exposed to illicit drugs more and more at a younger age and a variety of factors are enhancing their risk for becoming chronic users. These factors can include but are not limited to things such as family environment and parental involvement, peer pressure, and lack of self-control or externalizing, aggressive behavior. Though treatment programs are in place that address the risk factors, recognition of these risk factors as well as prevention of the use of marijuana to begin with must be addressed if the statistics are to become any less sobering than they stand in 2012. References Ali, M. M., Amailchuk, A., & Dwyer, D. S. (2011). The social contagion effect of marijuana use among adolescents. PLoS One, 6(1), doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0016183. Brook, J. S., Zhang, C., & Brook, D. W. (2011). Developmental trajectories of marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood: Personal predictors. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165(1), 55-60. doi: :10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.248. Chen, C., Storr, C. L., & Anthony, J. C. (2005). Influences of parenting practices on the risk of having a chance to try cannabis. Pediatrics, 115(6), 1631-1639. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004- 192. Diamond, G., Godley, S. H., Liddle, H., Sampl, S., Webb, C., Tims, F. M., & Meyers, R. (2002). Five outpatient treatment models for adolescent marijuana use: A description of the cannabis youth treatment interventions. Addiction, 97(Supp. 1), 70-83. Retrieved from: http://www.med.miami.edu/CTRADA/documents/Diamond%20et%20al%20(2002)%20 Five%20outpatient%20treatment%20models%20for%20adolescent%20marijuana %20use%20-%20A%20description%20of%20the%20Cannabis%20Youth %20Treatment%20interventions.pdf National Institute on Drug Abuse. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health. (2010). Nida infofacts. Retrieved from National Institute of Drug Abuse website: https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/marijuana_0.pdf Read More