A study that was released November 6th showed that teens who regularly drink or smoke pot have lower earning potential and educational achievement.  According to the lead author, Dr. Elizabeth Harari “This study found that chronic marijuana use in adolescence was negatively associated with achieving important developmental milestones in young adulthood." The researchers found that both alcohol and pot users struggle to achieve some of the hallmarks of adult success, including obtaining a college degree, getting married, holding down a full-time job and earning a good living.

The study tracked 1,165 subjects beginning an assessment at age 12 and check in on them every 2 years through ages between 25 and 34.  As they got older those who used or became dependent deviated from those teens that stayed clean.  Even those teens that did not become habitual users wound up achieving less.

Last year in the US Surgeon General’s Report “Facing Addiction in America” he reported that 1 in 4 who begin using substances before age 18 become addicted versus 1 in 25 who wait until age 21.  We at Gobi want to help both parents and teens avoid these pitfalls by helping teens rethink their behaviors and helping parents and teens talk more openly.

"Parents should try to delay their children's onset of use as much as possible," said research supervisor Victor Hesselbrock, chairman of addiction studies at the University of Connecticut. "If you can push regular use back well into adolescence, the kids do a lot better."