A letter from Sep 19, 2022

Dear Future Me, Marijuana is a gateway drug. A gateway drug is a drug that may lead to you taking more deadly drugs. Some short term effects of marijuana include hallucinations and a lower reaction time. Long term effects of the drug include a higher chance of a stroke or a heart disease which can lead to a heart attack. The drug marijuana is a depressant and a hallucinogen. A depressant is a drug that slows your reaction time. A hallucinogen is a drug that will make you hallucinate. In 2019 36% of all Australians above 14 have used cannabis in their lifetime and 11.6% had used it in the past year. The most common other drugs concurrently used by recent cannabis users were: • tobacco (29%) • cocaine (25%) • ecstasy (19.7%), • the non-medical use of pharmaceuticals (14.1%) You can assertively say no to cannabis by • assertively saying no • Being honest about your reason for not wanting to use the drug • Suggesting doing something else • Repeating yourself when saying no till it gets annoying • Walking away if they don’t listen. Ways to avoid peer pressure in tough situations • Pay attention to how you feel. • Plan ahead. • Talk to the person who is pressuring and let them know how it makes you feel and tell them to stop. • Have a secret code to communicate with parents. • Give an excuse • Have friends with similar values and beliefs. • Get support from a trusted adult Tips to Help Someone Stop smoking Marijuana 1. Have a private, honest conversation. 2. Refuse to enable. 3. Express your belief in them. 4. Provide treatment information. 5. Allay fear concerning detoxification 6. Be patient. 7. Focus on your own health. References https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/drug-types/cannabis https://positivechoices.org.au/teachers/how-to-say-no-without-losing-face https://www.fcps.edu/student-wellness-tips/peer-pressure https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html https://www.midwestrecoverycenters.com/how-to-help-someone-quit-marijuana/