Marijuana Teens' Drug Of Choice For Anxiety, Depression

It may come as little surprise that teens start experimenting with marijuana in their early adolescence. Some might argue that it's nearly a rite of passage for many, as there appears to be a growing number of kids who are turning onto the drug. Now, it seems that marijuana is now the drug of choice for many with anxiety or depression.

There are those who say that they far prefer using cannabis to deal with their severe anxiety or depression rather than turning to pharmaceuticals.

“It has and always will be the only thing that has helped with my severe anxiety and depression,” said Nicole (not her real name).

The problem is, young people who are using the drug to deal with their mental health issues do not always know how much to take, or how it will affect them when they first start out; they only know that, in the moment, they are feeling better.

However, this may have led to 21st century society becoming, as Dr. Brené Brown has reported, one of the most numbed in the world. This society drinks too much. Eats too much. Medicates too much. All of this, just to cope with whatever the world is throwing at us.

Scientists say, however, that kids aren't always on the money when it comes to understanding what self-medication actually does. To be sure, this seems to be a part of the general perception that teenagers have about themselves - that they are 10 feet tall and bulletproof - but that doesn't mean that they are immune to all harms that might befall them.

“There’s this disconnect between what the scientific research shows and the thoughts and perceptions among young people,” said Amy Porath, director of research and policy at the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA).

There also seems to be a belief that marijuana is non-addictive and that it is still OK to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and drive. According to the British Journal of Psychiatry, though, marijuana's risks still need to be considered, as the drug carries risk of dependency and there could be other adverse affects for those who live with other psychiatric disorders.

For now, though, young people appear eager to try anything to quiet their depressed or anxious minds. Jason of Toronto noted that he had tried a great many anti-depressants, but the only thing that appears to have worked is medical marijuana.

He said, however, that he would far prefer having someone around that could tell him how to properly use the drug for medicinal purposes.

“I would much rather have someone come to me and say, ‘this is how much you should use. This is how you use it,'” he said.