Why Do Teenagers Use Marijuana?

Marijuana is a commonly used drug amongst young people. Some people call marijuana an entry level drug due to its accessibility to teens. Teens are some of the most vulnerable due to the easy access of the drug. Marijuana is also a drug that is fairly easy to make which makes it inexpensive to produce and sell. The drug is usually smoked but can also be inhaled, eaten and drunk. Although some teens choose to use this drug because of its popularity there are also many programs out there to prevent teenagers from consuming these harmful drugs. These programs aim to inform teens of the potential dangers and consequences that they may run into if they choose to use Marijuana. Teens are not the only ones susceptible to Marijuana but also …show more content…
according to History (2017). At first, marijuana was not used to get high such as in our society today. According to History, ancient cultures used marijuana for herbal medicines (2015). These medicines were used to treat stomach pains and other types of pains that individuals may have. The first signs of cannabis in the United States was of “early colonist, who grew hemp for textiles and rope” (History, 2017). However, in the 20th century, political and racial factors “led to the criminalization of marijuana in the United States” (History, 2017). The cannabis or hemp plant originated in Central Asia. Then it was spread across to Africa, Europe, and the Americas (History, 2017). Clothing, paper, sails, and rope were some of the products that were made out of hemp fiber, while the seeds were used as food (History, 2017). In the 1600’s during colonial America, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, farmers were required to grow hemp because it was easy to cultivate and had many uses. History also states the early use of marijuana had a very low level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the chemical responsible for marijuana’s mind altering effects (History,