By Susan Blauner and Mendi Baron, LCSW
We were actually pleased to see and read the article “Not Your Father’s Marijuana” on COLlive.com and the frank assessment that today’s offerings are nothing like that of the past with chemical enhancements and purifications that take the high to the next level.
As helping professionals, especially when dealing with the younger generation, the “it’s safe” and “it’s natural” mindset is one that is hard enough to challenge, even more so when now combined with the “it’s legal” thing. Here’s why:
Today’s youth are more astute than the youth of the past and they have seen firsthand for example how things like smoking and lung cancer have killed millions. For this reason, smoking is less common in teens than ever before. It’s an obvious danger.
Yet today’s youth are at the forefront of the opiate epidemic using painkillers to escape reality and overdosing at an incredibly high rate never seen before. Why?
These drugs are FDA approved. Clean. Legal. Come in sealed containers. Are prescribed by licensed professionals. Sure, people are dying, but that’s because “they didn’t use it right.” It’s a killer, but it’s not as sure a thing or as well documented or warned about as smoking and cancer.
The mirage of “Safety.”
This is the same issue with marijuana and to counter it we often ask clients or student groups the following questions:
1. Put Legalization aside, and medicinal pain management pot use by folks dying of cancer, do you know the stats around Youth?
Actual scientific studies by real medical leaders such as UCLA and others have shown concretely (indisputably), that Pot use by teens shrinks the pre-frontal cortex. This area is the one responsible for impulse control.
Teens and young adults with a pre-disposition to Psychosis (family history of Schizophrenia for example) can trigger early onset symptoms. We have seen this firsthand.
Additionally, admits to ER’s by youth have spiked due to Marijuana use for panic, injury, and extreme stomach pain due to overconsumption (adults as well).
The point? There is real, hard, scientific evidence that there is a danger here. Just like smoking.
2. Do you know how today’s Marijuana is prepared?
It’s certainly not just picked from the backyard. Do you have the lab equipment handy at all times to test your stash?
We often see signs outside dispensaries “DOGO”: Donate one. Get one.
Some random guy can leave his unspecified THC concoction and trade it for yours. Real safe.
3. Ask yourself for a minute: Why?
What is wrong with your life or your experience at the moment that requires you to want to get “high.” Is there something that needs to be addressed? Using pot to address an issue is the same as using pain meds instead of treating an infection.
Do you want to be dependent on something else to be happy?
Like the good doctor highlighted in his article: it’s not always about physical dependence. Often the substance is used to fill a void and if the void remains, one will keep upping the “dose” and “medication” to fill it. A mental gateway process that most often ends in a place you never imagined in the beginning. Like the doctor said: not everyone who smokes pot goes onto other drugs, but we have yet to meet an addict who didn’t use pot.
Our kids today are lacking purpose, identity, direction. All the things that can help fill a void. But that’s a whole other topic.
The point is that we need to pull away the mirage of “safety,” the legalization, the perception of Doctors in lab coats overseeing and approving the product and the idea that somehow this is a “risk-free” way to have a good time.
It isn’t. Not by any stretch.
—Mendi Baron, LCSW, is an expert in the field of teen mental health and addiction. His experience as a therapist includes individual and group counseling for children, adolescents, and families. Susan Blauner is the Executive Director of the Saving Lives Coalition, an organization that informs parents and youth about mental health issues and the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse. For more information, help and referrals or to have Saving Lives do a presentation for you or your organization, call 844-728-3294 or visit http://www.savinglivescoalition.org/help
” Seek to respect others’ values. Seek to value for yourself something other than what you’re fed.”
Would you like to explain that more clearly? If you’re coming from where you sound like you’re coming from, it’s your thinking that ‘s encouraging confusion and doubt, and your thinking that’s contributing to the perception that even though taking drugs isn’t ideal it’s still acceptable behavior.
I’m a bochur and drugs is barely, actually not even a problem around me or my friends and don’t say I don’t know what actually goes on because I do and drugs isn’t the issue. the biggest deal is drinking more than four and being exposed to unfiltered internet
I’m probably one of the only select young people that have a comment on this
Kids in Cali have a much bigger problem with heroin and drugs they find in grandparents bathroom. Everybody’s parents smoke pot. It’s not a big enough high for kids and who wants to do what your parents do. Focus on the real problems. It’s a matter of time before pot is legal for recreational and medical use. Take the tax money and stop the opiod problem. Btw edibles have cured my lifelong insomnia. I am over 65 and don’t need to get high but I do need to sleep.
I don’t believe the Rebbe was suggesting a mesivta boy (14-16)should consume 4 ounces of vodka every Thursday evening. It is illegal and unhealthy. In the letter posted by one of the above commenters, the Rebbe writes ….not to allow method shlichus etc. The average bochur that goes on MS is 20+.
In the days between 9 and 19 Kislev a mesivta has 4-5 farbreingens. Do the math. It’s mind boggling!!
Wake up!! The house is on fire!
It is so not the place here to address what you are intimating You are married Don’t emulate the Gerrer Chasidim it is not for us and frankly not for the majority of Gerrer either Rashis Chochmo which in my day every Tomim was advised to learn Shulchan Oruch the Orech Chaim Halochos will guide on how to instil kedusha but normality into your marriage When one wants to aim too high too soon once falls One fails and one gets despondent Where are the Mashpios? Trust our guys they have wealth of experience Go on Shlichus with easy mind… Read more »
One word, DENIAL.
If you claim your Lubavitche chasid, then we know the rebbe was very aginst drugs, so of you want to smoke pot, then became a bresliv chasid!
I’d like to add a few more thoughts for readers to consider: Why would a young or older person try or use marijuana? Is the reason emotional, peer pressure, or perhaps because of misinformation they’ve been given that marijuana is a natural remedy that may help them with a chronic condition they’ve been living with and that nothing has yet seemed to help? Looking into the Holistic treasure chest of TRULY NATURAL, NON-TOXIC, AND SAFE ALTERNATIVES to marijuana, other drugs and alcohol and selecting from the Flower Essence section we can look at: Agrimony, for the person who hides their… Read more »
#16 You will make an excellent Shliach IY”H But you have to get past this. It’s generally not an addiction, everybody has their threshold. Some people aren’t inclined, so even an open internet isn’t an issue for them; some people are able to manage with filtering to which they can get the password to; some people need filtering that they can’t get the password to; and some people need to have no access to the internet in public; and some people need to have no access to the internet at all. You need to find your threshold, the major decision… Read more »
Why would you go on shlichus now!??? Help yourself first. Yes there are thousands of frum s** addicts but help is available. Good luck!!
My son who has ADHD tried pot and believes it had helped him. Has anyone here had experiences with that? Are ADHD medicines any safer?
I’m a big anti drug, cigarette, alcohol proponent. I got married at a young age to someone who suffered lots of abuse and has lots of issues. The first decade of our marriage was a true nightmare. I was always scared of who I’d wake up to, I was not aware of the mental health history that runs in his family, if I had known we would have never been married, Gone through years or therapy, medication combinations, in treatment facilities and nothing worked. Shabbos was the worst, I hated shabbos because of all the drinking he would do in… Read more »
Thanks for sharing I was wating for this comment, stop with all this weed topics, because I think it makes people to want to smoke!
l just feel sorry for the closed minds to the dangers of pot and alc, may we merit a revalation to truth
You are absolutely right
In all things there is good and bad
Klipas nogah
Internet
Alcohol
Tobacco
Etc
As long as the States legalize
If it it illegal then in my interpretation the item becomes
From the three klipos which are utterly impure
How you say does secular law affect
Says I Almighty G-D controls the actions of Government
As we say in our heartfelt prayers on Kippur Day
Let’s not go down the Rambam’s conundrum, not the place here
You’re in denial. You say “you don’t do it for fun or to escape anything”….. yet you use it for emotional wellbeing. That stuff is frying your brain…… one day at a time.
Thank you #20 for telling us the Rebbe’s words on mashke! I heard a respected mechanech say that the reason the youth are not feeling involved (and its consequences) – is because they don’t feel the realness, the urgency of yiddishkeit somehow (whatever the reason) – and the remedy is to give them an ACTIVE urgent involvement and AIM – which is actually the Torah’s aim – as brought to us so urgently during 40 years of the Rebbe’s leadership. Basically, said the mechanech – when the youth feel connected to TODAY’s yiddishkeit – (which is enabled through knowing chassidic… Read more »
IT TAKES THE REBBE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OVERDRINKING IS FORBIDDEN FOR ANY PERSON IN LUBAVITCH.
I THINK THAT THE REBBE ALSO SAID THAT A BOCHUR SHOULD ONLY HAVE UP TO 4 LITTLE ONE OUNCE CUPS OF VODKA.
this leads us back to chinuch, are we getting it right? why “Our kids today are lacking purpose, identity, direction. All the things that can help fill a void”. we need more open dialog.
Among the young people, the bias is that ‘marijuana is harmless and safe’ and that is what people are trying to address here. Not which is worse, or why don’t people (rightly and justly!) publicly condemn drinking etc. There are many many addictive substances and behaviors to address in our modern world. But sadly, many kids have NO idea of the possible effects that weed can have. And they meet someone like #19 who smokes and is successful and outwardly ok, and they extrapolate that EVERYONE can use it safely and it is completely harmless and fun. Know the dangers.… Read more »
for our children- sports and a healthy life. for our enemies- drugs and death. Our children do not touch drugs. They grow up healthy.
https://www.facebook.com/selfdefensestudioch/
Mendi is the best in this field and has dealt with such issues for many years. Everything that was said here is absolute truth, don’t deny truth because you cant handle it,just say what i’m doing is wrong but i will choose to continue. And for those of you that feel that there is an alcohol problem that may be true but weed is the discussion here. Don’t use bringing up other points that are a problem to ease you of your weed addiction. You crown heightsers have nothing better to do with your lives than sit here and fight… Read more »
At this point I think it’s safe to say that you are stuck in the old biased “weed is a drug that kills people” attitude and funnily realize that you can google the statistics yourself. You say not to compare the 2 alcohol and weed but at the same time you don’t look at the facts. Alcohol causes over 500 deaths a year in New York alone!!! While smoking pot has guess how many??? You got it, zero! Which one should you be screaming about? The drug that is hidden from the youth or the one that is given out… Read more »
B”H 2 Sivan, 5728. to the leadership of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad (Lubavitch Youth Organization) branch….. Greetings and Blessings!’ We are herewith conveying to you the words of the Rebbe Shlita, that he said today to the members of his secretariat and to the leadership of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad (Lubavitch Youth Organization) after the afternoon services. and we requesting you to publicize these words in the befitting manner. “Since the festival of Shavous is rapidly approaching and since I’ve been notified that there are those who have began to be lenient with regards to Mashke [Alchohol], so – as with regards… Read more »
I am 34 years old. I’m a Lubavitcher who lives in crown heights. I’ve been smoking pot since I’m 17 years old and it has helped me immensely in my social life, emotional life, etc. the only downside is it can get a bit expensive on a budget but so can alcohol or cigarettes which I don’t touch. I don’t do it for fun and I don’t do it to escape from anything. I haven’t touched and Advil or Tylenol in years because it helps with that as well. I make over 100k a year Bh and I am very… Read more »
Not to say that smoking is in any way good, but I do think it’s odd that such an outroar for pot is happening and yet Crown Heights is known for some pretty crazy drunken shananagins and this doesn’t get spoken about? It may not be right for teens to be smoking but is it ok that from let’s say 14 they are exposed to drinking all through their yeshiva experience, usualalg drinking multiple times a week. I think the point is not to get caught up in one or the other but to educate our children and really our… Read more »
Thank you COL!
Being given by the worst of addictions killing the spiritual life of people. Lust and s** addiction, it’s rampant and destroying not only youth but adults as well. No one is immune from this machleh. Including myself a married chassidishe yungerman who’s looking for Shlichus. It’s a disease.
Please use any available dictionary.
Wow. Very disturbing to see #5’s comment. The substance abuse issue in our community is due to pain. Whether ppl numb that pain w alcohol or pot or any other addiction- the problem is the same- PAIN. It’s not going to solve our problems to tell ppl to stop doing drugs/drinking alcohol or even purging our communities of devices…let’s wake up before it’s too late and change our view. Know and recognize that some have less of a capacity to deal w pain or trauma. That’s their test. Some are prone to being judgmental and arrogant. Everyone has a test.… Read more »
“Our kids today are lacking purpose, identity, direction. All the things that can help fill a void. But that’s a whole other topic.” Really? That IS the topic. But no one wants to admit it. Almost every person addicted to pain killers (legal or not) and mind altering substances, suffers from some pain from a void. (often caused by a trauma of sorts). Discussing whether weed or alcohol or pills or street drugs are dangerous is deflective. Focus on WHY people take them in the first place. And admit that this generation has an unprecedented challenge to address connection, purpose,… Read more »
Alcohol in moderation is OK and possibly even good for you – of course follow safe drinking guidelines, don’t drink more than 4, don’t drink alone or to wake your self up using alcohol – but making Kiddush and saying one or two lechayims on the occasional shabbos is perfectly fine and won’t damage your brain. Studies show that doing the same with pot will damage the mind affecting episodic memory, attention and associative learning in a dose dependent manner. Interestingly the more cannabis used and the earlier on in life then the greater the cognitive impairment. Another interesting randomized… Read more »
As long as people view a difference between alcohol and marijuana then somethings wrong. Socially/society wise marijuana seems like “drugs” and alchol isnt viewed as such. The reason being marijuana is illegal. This is an external factor not an essential reason. Yes people dont abuse alchol but also people dont abuse marijuana. Yes abuse exist but it is present everywhere. Point is marijuana has a distorted image. So if someone does marijuana he has stepped over a red line and all drugs are accross this red line so now this person is in a “category” of over the red line.… Read more »
Read this article and Dr Herman’s article, and you’ll see WHY.
Alcohol most certainly is a drug, and it does provide the “quick fix”.
You’re insane if you think the amount of drinking that goes on during a Thursday night “farbrengen” or on simchas Torah isn’t abuse. They’re abusing their bodies.
It’s pushed way to much on underage teenagers for no reason other than “it’s chassidish”.
Why is it so hard to convince everyone that pot heads are frying their brain. You see it. It’s not a secret. Don’t do this crazy stuff. Stay healthy! Get help!
Very few people in our community abuse alcohol. This false “alcohol abuse crisis” needs to be put to rest.
I knew 400 bochrim when I was in Yeshiva. ONE bochur had an issue with alcohol abuse, and it was for a short period of time. I know hundreds of men who drink on Simchas Torah and occasionaly on a Shabbos and have zero issues with alcohol abuse.
Alcohol is NOT a drug. It doesn’t provide a quick “fix” the way drugs do.
At this point it is time to say be quiet already! Or that in French. It’s crazy that whenever an issue is addressed there are ppl who say- but the other problem is much worse. Does that minimize the problem at hand somehow in your mind?!? Sorry but that’s a warped and dangerous mindset. The conversation now is about drugs or weed or whatever u wanna call it. You have a problem with alcohol? Write a different article about that. This isn’t about which problem is more severe so don’t mix ppl up
Comment 2
A real catastrophe.
No-one discusses alcohol.We are raising addicts.
Thank you for posting and explaining so clearly
because it’s part of our very life. Please give as much space to the dangers of alcohol as you do to pot. In our community we’re too blase about alcohol even as we get all hot and bothered about pot. Because it’s so familiar, it doesn’t mean it’s any safer.
Than you for posting