As more states move to legalize marijuana, it's surprising not to find more chatter about how schools are affected. In fact, until Education Week published an article about it in its January 8, 2014, issue, we hadn’t found much at all outside the norm of statistics and headlined, random stories.
The article begins by stating that campaigns in individual states to legalize marijuana use may be contributing to a drop in the percentages of teenagers nationwide who see risk in regular use of the drug and an increase in its use by students themselves. In 2013, 39.5% of 12th grade students responding to the survey said they viewed regular use of marijuana as harmful. This is a drop from a survey conducted in 2012 where 44.1% saw regular use of the drug as a risk, and a considerable drop from a survey completed twenty years ago that reported 72.5% of students found regular use was harmful. For 10th grade students, the numbers fell from 78.5% in 1993 to 46.5% last year. And, for 8th grade students, the numbers fell from 79.6% to 61%.
The article continues, saying that researchers are seeing a drop in teen use of alcohol and cigarettes and an increase in their use of marijuana. They suspect that these findings will continue to shift as student perceptions of what is harmful and what is not continues to shift.
In states where marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes, 34% of 12th grade responders said they obtained the drug with someone else’s prescription, and 6% reported they have prescriptions for themselves.
And, just how many states have legalized use? Twenty. Of course, not all twenty states have the same level of relaxation to their legislation. In some of these states, although it’s legal, it’s nearly impossible to obtain even with a prescription, so the conflicts legalized marijuana can potentially introduce for schools is not as immediate.
If you’re living in a state that has relaxed its laws, you’re most likely aware of the concerns it introduces to your teachers. Hopefully, you’ve reviewed your school policies so that faculty, staff, and your student body are aware of what is acceptable and unacceptable on your campus, state law or no state law. Policies aside (although certainly not forgotten), in pro-medical marijuana states, teachers need to be prepared to educate students about the benefits and risks of the drug on an adolescent mind—not just the law. When substances are legal, there is a perceived lower risk, which as we know, is not always the simple truth.
A study released by Northwestern University revealed what appeared to be lasting brain alterations in adolescents who smoked marijuana. Scientists compared brain scans of teenagers who smoked marijuana daily for three years and those who did not. Results showed differences in the thalamus, golbus pallidus, and striatum areas of the brain. These are the puzzle-solving areas of the brain: the sections of the mind that are able to quickly remember or recall a number, to-do list, or other bits of information to complete tasks. Think of these areas of the brain as the mental notepad or working memory.
"Working memory is a strong predictor of academic achievement in adolescents," said Matthew J. Smith, author of the study. Students who had the greatest alterations to these areas of the brain also tested poorly on memory tests.
Marijuana is not a new threat to students or schools. In fact, schools have decades of experience dealing with the war on drugs. However, the lowered risk perception in students and new laws legalizing marijuana could be a new obstacle for educators. It’s just too early to know how this will affect students and the academic world.
Additional ISM articles of interest
ISM Monthly Update for School Heads Vol. 7 No. 6 Drug Abuse
Private School News Vol. 9 No. 1 Students Legally Bringing Drugs to School?
ISM Monthly Update for School Heads Vol. 10 No. 10 Kids Pushing Too Hard? Prescription Stimulants Abuse in Private Schools
Additional ISM articles of interest for Gold Consortium members
I&P Vol. 29 No. 6 Random Drug Testing Policies for Students
