Who uses marijuana and e-cigarettes and why?
Most youth in all groups do not use marijuana and e-cigarettes. Unfortunately, some youth report that they
are using at higher rates than other groups, putting them at higher risk for health and other consequences.
As shown in the charts to the right, white and Asian students in King County had lower rates of marijuana
and e-cigarette use compared to youth in all other race/ethnic groups. In King County, higher rates of
marijuana use also occurred among LGBTQ youth, youth at academic risk, and youth who have been bullied.
A similar pattern occurs when looking at Washington state as a whole, with higher marijuana-use rates for
10th graders who have been bullied (including for being perceived as gay), who are struggling academically,
and who are Latino/Hispanic, African American/Black and Native American/Alaska Native.
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(For more
information, visit
.
)
If you are someone who falls into a high-risk group, it is entirely valid to feel like the cards are stacked
against you. However, many individuals tap into their inner resources and outside support to beat the odds.
Why do you think some groups are at higher risk?
While marijuana does not lead to typical signs of dependence like other addictive drugs, a distinctive
THC withdrawal syndrome has been identified and many adolescents who have used marijuana report
having felt dependent on its use at one time or another
18
. Symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include
restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, sleep (EEG) disturbance, nausea, sweating, runny nose and
cramping. Other typical signs of substance dependence include an increase in tolerance, losing control
of usage, or being unable to stop use.
Adolescents may use marijuana to self-medicate for various health conditions, such as attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, autism, anorexia and chronic pain. While effective treatments for
many of these health conditions do exist, few scientific studies have conclusively found marijuana to be an
effective solution. Marijuana may even aggravate, rather than relieve, these health conditions.
Where to find help
If you are experiencing problems with marijuana, e-cigarettes, alcohol and/or other drugs, you may want
to seek help. Reliance on drugs is not a character flaw—having a problem is not something you choose.
But you can choose to get help. Many others have struggled with substance use disorders or reliance on
drugs—more than 10 percent of American adults report being in recovery from abuse or addiction
19
. You are
not alone. Reach out to a professional, such as a counselor, or contact the 24-hour Washington Recovery
Help Line at
or
866.789.1511
, or Teen Link at
or 866TEENLINK (
866.833.6546
) from 6–10 p.m.
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abuse-or-addiction/
Marijuana Use by Race/Ethnicity Among 10th Grade Youth in
King County, Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, 2014
Hispanic
23
20
21
9
29
25
17
Multiracial*
NH/OPI*
Asian*
AIAN*
Black*
White*
Percent
0
10
20
30
40
* Non-Hispanic
Estimates based all participating schools
E-cigarette Use by Race/Ethnicity Among 10th Grade Youth in
King County, Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, 2014
Hispanic
22
20
21
9
29
21
18
Multiracial*
NH/OPI*
Asian*
AIAN*
Black*
White*
* Non-Hispanic
Estimates based all participating schools
Percent
0 5
10 15 20 25 30 35
You are not invisible.
But sometimes, when you are surrounded by a lot of folks who just
don’t understand you, it might feel like it. And you may want to do
whatever it takes to be seen, accepted or wanted.
The truth is, there are a lot of ways in which gender identity, gender
expression, sex and sexual orientation can make a difference in the
way people treat you – even though they absolutely should NOT. The truth is, it’s not
safe for everyone to identify, express or be who they are in every moment and that
can be painful in your mind, heart and spirit. There’s so much pressure to be who
everyone else – family, friends and teachers – wants you to be when there is already
so much pressure in other parts of your life.
The truth is, it’s not easy to be a young person and even more difficult to be a young
person who identifies with LGBTIQQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersexual
Queer and Questioning) when the rest of the world doesn’t really understand or
accept these identities.
You might have to find ways to deal with feeling alone and invisible. Many times,
substances like marijuana might bring you temporary joy or freeze any bad feelings
you might have. Relying on substances like marijuana to make you happy can
become a habit you cannot break – you can almost think you need it in your life.
The truth is, there are other young people who feel similar pressures and experience
feeling invisible. The truth is, marijuana can make us feel good temporarily, when
we so often feel bad, that we keep wanting it (and even when we think it is going
to make us feel good, it can sometimes make us feel worse).
The truth is, you are not going to change who you are or what you are feeling by
using marijuana. There is no need to change yourself because there are other
people and places that will accept you as you are. That’s the truth.
Art Prompts: Write/Draw/Paint/Take Photos/Dance about someone you are that
you don’t let people see. Why don’t you let anyone see that part of you? Imagine
your future self, whether it be 5 years or 10 years and all of your aspirations and
dreams have come true and you are exactly who you want to be. What will your
future self tell your present self? What does it feel like? What do you know in the
future, that you need to know right now?
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