When young people try alcohol, they often don’t realize the damaging effects. Aside from being illegal, underage drinking is a widespread public health problem that poses many consequences.
Marijuana is a mixture of dried leaves, stems and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Of the approximately 400 chemicals in marijuana the main psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
According to SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the most common substances used by children 12 and over include alcohol, tobacco, nicotine vaping, marijuana, prescription drugs, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs.