Pinpointing What Turns Teens to Pot

What leads a teenager to start experimenting with marijuana – or to move from experimentation to regular pot smoking? Some researchers think they’ve come up with the major risk factors.

A shared U.S./U.K. study says involvement with other substances like alcohol and cigarettes, along with school problems and delinquency, are the three most important factors when it comes to teens at risk for using marijuana.

“The combined presence of these risk factors greatly increases the risk of experimental (by 20 times) and regular marijuana use (by 87 times) over one year,” said Dr. Marianne van den Bree, one of the researchers. “Prevention and intervention efforts should focus on these areas of risk."

The study looked at nearly 14,000 U.S. students, aged 11 to 21, over a one-year period. And of the students surveyed who used marijuana, more than half were still using it one year later.

Teen Jobs Can Be Dangerous

You might want to have a talk with your teen about job safety as they start looking for gainful employment this summer. A national study regarding on-the-job dangers found that many teens perform risky chores while at work, work too late on school nights and/or work on tasks that violate numerous federal laws.

The findings, based on a telephone survey of nearly 900 teenagers working in the retail and service industries, were disturbing. Nearly half of the teens working in grocery stores and restaurants said they had performed tasks prohibited by law for people under 18 – including operating hazardous equipment like box crushers, dough mixers and power-slicers.

Over one-third of all teens under 16 said they had worked after 7:00 p.m. on a school night – a violation of federal rules – and one-third of all teens surveyed said they received no on-the-job safety training. Nine percent of teens also said they worked alone at night – making them potential crime targets.

About 70 teens die every year from work-related injuries, according to federal statistics – and hundreds of thousands more are injured at work.

Food the Top Product Marketed to Teens on TV

The advertising industry isn’t helping teens out when it comes to weight control. A new study says food is the leading product advertised to teens and younger kids on television.

Researchers looked at more than 1,600 hours of television programming last year. They found that 13- to 17-year-olds see an average of 17 food ads each day – or more than 6,000 a year. And more than one-third of commercials highlight candy and snacks. 28 percent of TV commercials showcase cereals – and 10 percent market fast food companies.

Are Teens Getting Hooked on Hookahs?

Once viewed as a novelty, hookahs are growing in popularity among teens – many of whom mistakenly think the water pipes make tobacco smoking safer.

Bars and lounges featuring hookahs – along with a wide spectrum of flavored tobaccos for customers to choose from – can now be found across the U.S. In some states hookahs are also exempt from anti-smoking laws. But, the American Lung Association is warning that hookah smoking can be as bad for your health as cigarettes.

In a new report, the association notes that while it usually takes five to 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette, a typical hookah session lasts 40 to 45 minutes – increasing exposure to dangerous chemicals found in tobacco smoke. And according to the report, teens that used a hookah were eight times more likely to experiment with cigarettes.

“The fact that hookah use also increases the chances that kids will start smoking cigarettes should be of great concern to policymakers and the general public,” says Lung Association CEO and President John Kirkwood. “The misperceptions surrounding hookah use mean that more young adults will risk their lives smoking what they believe is a safer product.”

After the Bell:
Find out what teens are doing in the hours before you get home!

New research shows that 40 percent of teens don’t participate in scheduled activities after school – the time of day (from 3 to 6 p.m.) when trouble is most likely to occur. A time when kids are more likely to take dangerous risks: alcohol, drugs, sex, accidents (especially in the car) and crime. Watch After The Bell to get advice from experts on where to find after-school programs and activities and what to look for. Hear from kids who share their stories about how after school programs have changed and enriched their lives. Click here to get yours today and to preview the video.

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