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Cannabis Kids Asks...
Hi
I have to do a biology presentation and i wondered if you could help me on this following questions:
How to tell if my kid is taking cannnabis
Could you tell me if there any websites to help?
How to cope?
What to do?
What we suggest...
Hi Cannabis Kids
Thank you for your enquiry to q2a about giving a presentation on the subject of cannabis.
From the questions you are asking it would seem that you will be starting by looking at the subject from a parent's point of view. We will begin by giving you some general information.
1. Cannabis comes in various forms:-
- Hash = blacky-brown lump make from resin
- Grass or weed = dried, chopped leaves
- Skunk = strong and artificially modified form of cannabis
Skunk has a powerful smell and is know for its effects on the mind. It is a very potent form of cannabis and contains much more THC (stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol and is the stuff that gets you high) than ordinary cannabis. It is becoming more and more readily available.
Used by:-
- Mixing with tobacco and smoked as a spliff or joint
- Making into a tea
- Baking in 'hash cakes' and cookies.
2. Effects of cannabis:
- Makes a lot of people feel happy and relaxed, and effects can last a few hours
- Effects people differently - just one puff and some people get the giggles
- Can make colours and sounds seem brighter and sharper
- Some people find themselves being sick especially if have been drinking alcohol.
- May get anxious or paranoid
- Has links to mental health problems
- As with cigarette smoking increases chances of getting diseases like lung cancer and bronchitis
- Long-term use may affect memory and concentration levels and therefore may hinder performance in school, college or work. In some cases people have been known to give up or drop out.
- Can drain energy levels, leaving users tired and unable to get on with things.
The effects of cannabis depend on how strong the cannabis is, how much you is used at one time and the number of times you smoke.
Most parents at some time or other may wonder if their son or daughter is taking drugs. The laws around cannabis use often seem to be in the news so perhaps that's one of the first drugs that may spring to mind.
Some of the signs of drug use are also those that are a reflection of the fact that a young person is just 'being a teenager' - things like changes in mood, not being bothered about personal hygiene, not interested in anything, staying out late or seeming to change groups of friends
- Moody
- Not bothered about personal hygiene
- Not interested in anything
- Staying out late
- Falling out with old friends and in with a new crowd
Although there often aren't any distinctive signs, things to look out for can include:-
· Loss of appetite
· Drowsiness
· Poor hygiene or appearance
· Mood swings
· Red-rimmed eyes and/or a runny nose
· Uncharacteristic loss of interest in school, hobbies and friends
· Money going missing regularly for no apparent reason
· Perhaps things like torn cigarette papers/packets around the house or a strong sort of sweet smell.
3. How to cope
Parents should be encouraged to talk to their children about drugs or someone else might as:-
# Young people can feel under pressure to do what their friends are doing - it helps them feel more grown up or part of a group if they take drugs.
# Some enjoy the pleasant short term effects - drug taking can help them to relax, 'get high' or lose their inhibitions.
# There are young people who may be just curious about the effects of different drugs.
Parents are often the best people to talk to their sons or daughters and give them accurate information without being heavy handed. A parent's approach should be balanced and they should know that the facts come from reliable sources. It is important to talk about the distinctions between drugs and discuss the effects and relative levels of harm, not just lump them altogether. This should not be looked at as a 'one off' discussion as it is important to keep an open attitude to the discussion.
However, whether a parent has talked about drugs or nor, it can still happen that a son or daughter has begun to take a drug, such as cannabis and parents are wondering how to cope.
Here are some suggestions:-
# Talk to your son or daughter about what is happening.
# Before you start a conversation try to find out the facts about the drug concerned
# Think about how you will react if they confirm that they are using cannabis
# Perhaps discuss that although many people have smoked cannabis for pleasure for thousands of years, it is not possible to tell how it will affect the individual. It can affect and maybe ruin your future. Nowadays a lot of cannabis is skunk - much stronger and harmful.
# Try to stay calm and not panic
# Pick a good time to talk - not when they are rushing off somewhere or when it is apparent they are on a high.
# It is always good to be able to share these kinds of worries with your partner but a parent can always try to talk to a close friend who they feel will be understanding - it's good to be able to share concerns with someone else
# There are quite likely to be local support groups for parents/carers of children who are having problems with drugs that will include cannabis
# The parent or young person can always talk to FRANK in confidence on 0800 77 66 00 for information, advice and support
# If a son or daughter appears to be suffering adversely from the effects of cannabis (maybe tense and panicky) it is best to sit them in a quiet room, keep them away from crowds, bright lights and loud noises. If they are breathing very quickly, tell them to take long slow breaths.
# Of course, if a parent is worried at all, they should call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
4. Cannabis and the Law
It should also be recognised that the law on cannabis has recently been changed again. On the 26th January cannabis was reclassified up from a Class C drug to a Class B. Concerns about effects of 'skunk' and the mental health of users has lead to the change. Police can now take legal action against anyone caught in possession of cannabis, as it has been reclassified from Class C to Class B. First-time offenders caught with the drug will likely be given a warning. Subsequent offences will result in on-the-spot fines of £80. Anyone with three or more offences on their record will face arrest if found with cannabis .A resulting conviction of possession could result in a maximum of five years in prison and a fine.
Anyone caught selling cannabis could face 14 years in prison. Selling the drug near schools, mental health facilities or prisons will result in stiffer penalties.
To read more about Cannabis and the Law you can go to
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/cannabis-class-b
http://www.talktofrank.com/article.aspx?id=3221&gclid=CJTX9v__vZgCFQ5GQwodkGveaQ
5. Useful websites
www.talktofrank.com
http://www.lifeline.org.uk/ - a Manchester based organisation
http://www.whatnow.co.uk
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/drugs_use.shtml
http://www.familydrugsupport.com/
http://www.manchester.nhs.uk/health/mental_health/culturesandcommunities/drugs_and_
alcohol.html
We hope that you will find the information we have given you above useful when you give your presentation.
You might find that there is a lot of information available especially if you also decide to look at several websites. You have not told us how long the presentation is intended to be but we would imagine it is probably intended to be no longer than about 10 to 15 minutes. Just long enough to make three or four major points. Perhaps you could prepare a handout on a sheet of paper, that you can print or photocopy, where you can give more details and give website addresses.
May be you have given presentations before and have a plan of how you set about it or you are finding yourself giving a presentation for the first time and are feeling quite nervous at the prospect. We have found a website @
http://www.studyskills.soton.ac.uk/studytips/presentations.htm
that gives lots of advice about giving a presentation. You will notice that it is probably intended to be mainly for students who are in further or higher education - college and university but you might find some bits of it helpful such as:-
* Think about how long you have got
* Decide on the main points you want to make and try to space them out through your talk
* Decide whether you want people to ask questions about your talk. It will probably be best to ask people to wait till the end as discussion can sometimes be a distraction from your main points.
* Begin by introducing yourself and saying what your presentation will be about.
* When you are delivering the presentation try to keep making eye contact with people in your audience - not keep your eyes fixed on the paper, screen or flip chart that you may be reading from.
* Have a couple of practice runs beforehand - you could ask friends or family to be an audience or you could talk to a mirror.
* Try to breathe slowly, sometimes when you are nervous breathing can become very quick.
* Likewise try to speak slowly as can tend to talk quickly - maybe so you can get it over quickly.
We hope all goes well with your presentation but please contact us again if we can help you further this enquiry or you would like to talk us about anything else.
Good Luck
Best Wishes
q2a
Expert advice and every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information on this page is trustworthy and reliable, but the publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracy as information can go out of date very quickly. This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. With regard to suggested weblinks given in this reply please note that Lancashire County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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