Regardless of whether you plan on moving to Colorado as soon as you graduate, or if you strongly believe in the Rastafarian lifestyle, the truth of the matter stands: recreational marijuana use, possession and distribution is illegal in Florida, and refusing to acknowledge this fact can and will have detrimental consequences.
Marijuana is dangerous to teenagers. According to a story aired on National Public Radio (NPR) in 2014, regular marijuana use changes the structure of the brain and puts developing minds at an extreme risk. Lead author of a study on the effects of marijuana use in young adults and professor of psychology at Texas State University, Ty S. Schepis, said, “This is a period of strong change in the brain. We’re very concerned that marijuana alters the ways in which adolescent brains normally mature, particularly among heavy users.”
However, if the dangerous nature of smoking marijuana is not enough to consider passing on the opportunity to partake, at least consider the consequences to your education. According to a federal study, 60 percent of high school seniors believe that marijuana is safe and 23 percent have used marijuana in the last month. With the perception that marijuana use is not harmful, teens neglect the various risks of smoking to their lives. Even if the damage to one’s lungs and memory are ignored, the possibility of getting caught and potentially ruining a high school or college transcript and academic career should be strongly considered.
Any proof of illegal activity regarding marijuana use is cause for expulsion. This can be in the form of pictures, possession or simply getting caught. For the sake of seemingly harmless fun, students are willing to risk significantly damaging their futures. According to a college admissions website, 89 percent of colleges that collect disciplinary data use their findings in admission decisions. Not only does this mean students with a record have a far worse chance of getting into specific schools, but it also means they may lose certain privileges, such as campus housing, if accepted.
Whether you view smoking as a right of passage or have fallen victim to peer pressure, do not underestimate the severity of getting caught using marijuana. In both your freshman year and your senior year alike, the stain on your transcript will not disappear. To put it bluntly, marijuana use just isn’t worth it in high school.
