Another school year has been completed and once again it has been brought to the attention of the Department of Education that someadults in the community have been encouraging young adolescent children to use marijuana. This is a common drug dealer ploy to expand their business by enticing new customers. In small populations, such as Anguilla, dealers will usually recruit children whom they can trust – which usually means members of their own family. Children dealing in marijuana means only one thing – that they are selling the drug to their peers. Not only is this putting young people at risk of being in trouble with the law, but it is also having an effect on the school environment and increasing the risk to the children’s health both physically and mentally.
Adults need to be aware that the use of marijuana, or other drugs such as alcohol, affect children much more than themselves. Selling or giving marijuana or alcohol to children is highly irresponsible. Firstly, drugs of abuse have a much bigger impact on the developing brain of the adolescent than on the fully formed adult brain. Secondly, the earlier a person comes into contact with these drugs the more likely they are to have problems down the line in terms of addiction.
More and more research is coming to the fore with regard to the harm drug use at a young age can cause. It shows that there is a distinction between how marijuana or other drugs affect the still developing brain of the adolescent compared to the fully developed brain of the adult.
The young brain is going through different periods of maturation which makes it much more vulnerable to the negative impact of abusive drugs. The brain is still developing up until children are in their early to mid-twenties and drug use prior to this time can impact their development and potential.
For instance, the Hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning, memory and the regulation of mood continues to develop and grow until a person is in his or her early twenties. Research has shown that the use of marijuana or alcohol prior to this age, can have an impact on hippocampus development and function. What we really need to thrive and succeed in life is a nice long and fully formed hippocampus. If an adolescent is using marijuana or drinking he or she at great risk of impacting the development of this important part of the brain.
Our children go to school to learn. The use of alcohol or marijuana at this time will restrict their ability to learn and retain information. As adults in the community, it is our responsibility to keep our children safe and aware so that they can reach their true potential.
The Department of Education
The Department of Social Development
