<p>The kid who got kicked out of my son’s school did not think he was a drug dealer. But,alas, legally he is one. Expelled from school, convicted of dealing, did a few months in jail, was lucky the feds weren’t involved because mandatory federal dealing sentences are much, much more severe. He had a connection for pot, so he bought for a number of friends. One got caught with it it and squealed out his name and others, who all fingered him as a dealer. Cops somehow got involved and he had possession of enough to put him in the dealer category.</p>
<p>My son’s school has a huge alcohol problem and from what I understand, RA’s go looking for any signs of consumption in the dorms (not just obvious, outward signs like drunkiness or a party atmosphere.) If the university suspects marijuana on the premises, cops are called (the university doesn’t handle it itself). </p>
<p>They have increased fines for alcohol in dorms significantly over the past couple of years, but liquor law violations have increased 5 fold in the college town. (From 100 in 2008 to over 500 in 2010!) So, the school is patting themselves on the back for reduced citations in the dorms, because the students are going off-campus to drink. Not really a reduction in alcohol consumption in my opinion…just a migration!</p>
<p>If you want federal FA (including loans), you don’t want any drug-related convictions, either.</p>
<p>Yes. You can get FA even after being convicted of murdering someone, but not for some drug related convictions.</p>
<p>I have no answers for the colleges and the student drinking issues. The idea of them going off campus and possibly driving and wandering around unknown areas is not one that makes me feel very good, and I know that often happens at schools that are successful in chasing the beer and booze off campus and out of the dorms. But then with the law what is its, turning a blind eye is a problem too. I know that college presidents and administrators for the most part want that drinking age raised in part because it would take some pressure off of them in terms of alcohol patrol. But overall statistics seem to point to saving a significant number of lives by raising that age to 21. I have no answers about this, nor any about how to handle one’s kids who are drinking and using drugs. I don’t think there is any surefire solution. Every move you make has its backlash, and some of it is pretty lethal. </p>
<p>The only thing we can all do is inform them of the facts and lay down our house rules and let them know how we feel about all of this and why. When or if it comes to the point that we are enabling them in destructive behavior, and I don’t know when that point is, getting advice from those who are more experienced in all of this is what I recommend. Sadly, there is no real solution but more help in getting the parent through all of these so s/he can be in shape to help the kid when the kid will let the parent do so.</p>
<p>Regarding FA-I have been told by a friend of my kid that you can regain eligibility for FA after a conviction if you have completed an eligible drug treatment program.</p>
<p>Coming from a current college student you are clearly over reacting, I am a marijuana user while at school and can say that the paraphernalia you found could very easily be used for recreation only. You should be more concerned if you find a bong in his room. As stated previously, the bottle of liquor in his room does not necessarily mean that he is drinking alone in his room. I had been caught smoking by my mother spring of senior year. My mother flipped out and sent me to counseling, she even threatened to make me go to community college and live at home instead of going away. She has since drug tested me (I have passed both times), but it has caused me to feel resentment towards her. She has never smoked before and is extremely naive, convinced that it destroys brain cells and causes irreversible damage which is in fact false. Most government released information is false simply to support the “War on Drugs”. Why do you think so many scientists and police officers are in favor of legalization? I suggest you have a stern conversation with your son about possible consequences of his actions. It is impossible to completely control him at school just make sure he understands the what he is jeopardizing by smoking. However if marijuana has been decriminalized in your state he will face a citation for possession which is the equivalent to a parking violation. Most users stop after college because they realize how juvenile it is. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>
If you’re inhaling smoke you are inhaling less oxygen and more carbon monoxide. Regardless of what chemicals are in marijuana, it “destroys brain cells [which] causes irreversible damage.” To say otherwise is “naive.”</p>
<p>Its certainly not irreversable though. Who are you kidding??</p>
<p>Sent from my Droid using CC App</p>
<p>Kids drink. Kids smoke dope–often more than we want them to. Aside from the “don’t get into a car” there is not much we as parents can do about it except keep our fingers crossed about not getting into trouble (unless, of course, substance abuse becomes an obvious problem).</p>
<p>That and letting them know that the college fund can be used either for college or for lawyers…you pick.</p>
<p>*If you’re inhaling smoke you are inhaling less oxygen and more carbon monoxide. *</p>
<p>You could always get a vaporizer, it doesn’t create smoke.
[Marijuana</a> Vaporizers - Weed Vaporizers - Herbal Vaporizer Reviews](<a href=“http://marijuanavaporizer.com/]Marijuana”>http://marijuanavaporizer.com/)</p>
<p>“I’m thinking about randomly drug testing him.”</p>
<p>Oye Vey. Can you put a chip in him like I did with my dog?</p>
<p>Just for you notanengineer, and as it turns out I am an engineering at well known university and an athlete, doing well in school.</p>
<p>"Myth: Pot Kills Brain Cells</p>
<p>Government experts now admit that pot doesn’t kill brain cells.1 This myth came from a handful of animal experiments in which structural changes (not actual cell death, as is often alleged) were observed in brain cells of animals exposed to high doses of pot. Many critics still cite the notorious monkey studies of Dr. Robert G. Heath, which purported to find brain damage in three monkeys that had been heavily dosed with cannabis.2 This work was never replicated and has since been discredited by a pair of better controlled, much larger monkey studies, one by Dr. William Slikker of the National Center for Toxicological Research3 and the other by Charles Rebert and Gordon Pryor of SRI International.4 Neither found any evidence of physical alteration in the brains of monkeys exposed to daily doses of pot for up to a year. Human studies of heavy users in Jamaica and Costa Rica found no evidence of abnormalities in brain physiology.5 Even though there is no evidence that pot causes permanent brain damage, users should be aware that persistent deficits in short-term memory have been noted in chronic, heavy marijuana smokers after 6 to 12 weeks of abstinence.6 It is worth noting that other drugs, including alcohol, are known to cause brain damage.</p>
<p>Footnotes</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Dr. Christine Hartel, Acting Director of Research, National Institute of Drug Abuse, cited by the State of Hawaii Dept of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division in memo of Feb. 4, 1994.</p></li>
<li><p>For an overview, see NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Report, op. cit., pp. 81-2. R.G. Heath et al, “Cannabis sativa: effects on brain function and ultrastructure in Rhesus monkeys,” Biol. Psychiatry 15: 657-90 (1980).</p></li>
<li><p>William Slikker et al., “Chronic Marijuana Smoke Exposure in the Rhesus Monkey,” Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 17: 321-32 (1991).</p></li>
<li><p>Charles Rebert & Gordon Pryor - “Chronic Inhalation of Marijuana Smoke and Brain Electrophysiology of Rhesus Monkeys,” International Journal of Psychophysiology V 14, p.144, 1993.</p></li>
<li><p>NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Report, pp. 82-7.</p></li>
<li><p>“Cannabis and Memory Loss,” (editorial) British Journal of Addiction 86: 249-52 (1991)"</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Good afternoon, after reading this thread I noted that there have been a fair share of opinions being thrown around. I thought that it would be a good idea to shed some light on this issue. As a student double majoring in Pre-med and Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Chemistry I have learned my fair share of the effects of cannabis on the brain. As maxwelsk stated earlier, there is no link between the usage of cannabis and destruction of brain cells. One thing I would like to add to this is that the link established in the experiments were based off of a lack of oxygen to the brain and not the presence of cannabis. The scientists strapped gas masks to the monkeys and flooded them with pot smoke. Other experiments have not been completed since. This leaves some gray area, as experiments have not been completed to say otherwise. However, based upon my knowledge on how cannabis affects the brain I would say it does not cause any damage. When marijuana is ingested (Smoked, Vaporized, eaten, etc.) it enters the blood stream (not in the form of smoke of course). Once it reaches the brain, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in marijuana, activates the cannabinoid receptors, structures present in the brain believed to be utilized shortly after birth to stimulate hunger although their function has not been defined concretely. Cannabis simply stimulates a part of the brain that is not stimulated in everyday life. This is not to say that there are no unwanted effects, after ingestion melatonin levels increase to 4,000 times their normal level and REM sleep is said to be disturbed if the user sleeps while under the influence. This, however, only lasts a few hours until the “trip” ends and the chemical levels return to equilibrium.</p>
<p>Now, enough with the science. I am now speaking from personal experience as I am a user while I am in college. I have to say that I have not seen any negative physical, cognitive or mental changes since I began using cannabis at the beginning of last year. I have been able to work on my double major and compete on our college swim team without any more difficulty than was already present. I have not lost any friends, I have not gone crazy and I have not let my performance drop. I have not let marijuana take over my life</p>
<p>There are some people, however, that let the herb take control of their lives. Marijuana is like anything else, too much can be a bad thing. It is like letting video games take over your life, there is nothing wrong with the substance being abused, but a problem with the user themselves. This is where the herb’s bad reputation comes from, that as well as government action caused by the reefer madness movement in the 1930’s, but we won’t get into that.</p>
<p>If your son is letting marijuana and alcohol get in front of his grades and social life I would worry, but if it is simply a recreational thing I see no need for concern. </p>
<p>Hope this has helped</p>
<p>EDIT: After reading this thread I see that there have been further studies on monkeys which have shown that there is no link between brain damage and cannabis.</p>
<p>notanengineer, no offense but your major is easier than mine. Thus, I know more than you do and I am correct given the situation. Sorry to put it in such blatant terms, but that’s what us engineers are known for lol.</p>
<p>Having gone to college when pot was in its hayday, I know a lot of potheads who really put a damper on their lives because of their relationship with dope. Not to mention those who have police records because of it. Others who could not function well enough in college to get through their courses. Yes, pot can cause a lot of trouble.</p>
<p>As the OP, I’ll jump in with an update. My son failed his drug test. No summer job. He admitted to smoking once a week while at college. Maybe he hasn’t damaged his brain cells, but he’s been arrested for possession and damaged his reputation with his former employer. (A large international company with potential post-college opportunities.). </p>
<p>He hasn’t smoked since he’s been home (30 days) and I think he’s been scared straight…realizing that the temporary high wasn’t worth what he lost. I hope this feeling/lesson stays with him.</p>
<p>Bottom line-it’s illegal. When you buy it you’re supporting the drug cartels in Mexico that are destroying that country and invading ours.</p>
<p>^ That’s why it should be legal.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to read your update, KMPete. Here’s hoping this latest development is as bad as it gets and your son and he returns to school for a clean, successful sophomore year.</p>
<p>KMPete, you might want to get him to a physical exam in the middle of the summer and see if he has cleared his system, and has indeed been staying straight. If not, he may need help. Pot itself is not addictive but someone who is in an addictive mode can get stuck on anything and pot is a great zone out, relaxant. You might also want to do some sniffing around as to exactly what his situation was and is at college before he goes back there. Maybe it’s just the usual use of the drugs, maybe not. If not, the earlier he can address the problem, the better the chances that he can beat it. If he was not doing this in high school, he has a much better chance of getting out of this mode. I know a number of kids who spent their highs school and sometimes earlier years drinking and using drugs, without their parents knowing about it and they did not get caught. When they went to college and their usage accelerated, these kids ended up in a lot of trouble. Some of them are still in treatment and just can’t get off of the contraband.</p>