Now, More Students Are Smoking Marijuana than Cigarettes

It seems that anti-smoking campaigns have managed to work, to a point. Rates of teen smoking have been dropping recently. Now, only 8 percent of students have admitted to smoking a cigarette in the past month. Effective anti-smoking ads, education, and the experiences of family members have probably all contributed to the decrease. However, it does come with a catch: many more students have admitted to smoking marijuana in the past month.

Increasing rates of pot usage among students has hit an all-time high: 23 percent, almost three times as many students as the ones who admitted to smoking cigarettes. The survey was conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. There seems to be a perception among students that marijuana might be more “natural” than cigarettes, but pot smoke typically contains 50-70% more carcinogens than tobacco-based smoke. Additionally, pot smokers typically inhale deeper and hold their breath, which also increases exposure to dangerous effects of the smoke. Though it seems anit-smoking education is working, educating students about the dangers of marijuana appears to be an uphill battle.

Though some believe that marijuana usage is relatively harmless, the fact is that pot is bad for your health. Thankfully there are many excellent treatment plans available for dependence. Medications and cognitive-behavioral therapy have proven to be effective in treating drug problems. Addicts are often unable to cope with treatment on their own, or even with family members’ help, so it’s very important to find the right treatment center. At Seabrook, our treatment plans are customized to meet each individual patient’s needs, so you can rest assured that you’ll be getting the right remedy for yourself or for a loved one. Seabrook has rehabilitation centers in New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), and an outpatient center in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook today for any questions about drugs, addiction, and treatment.