14th Annual Northern California Adult Conference

Marijuana and Drug Prevention Strategies

How do we reach them?

Getting kids to think about it

Develop Credibility

CredibilityAuthenticityHave you smoked weed?•NonjudgmentalUse of science andHonest dialogue

Drive, motivation, the what’s important filter

The power of Dopamine• Sketch the synaptic space• Loss of dopamine• Dulling of pleasure center • Training the brain• Genetics• Difference between dopamine and Serotonin• Wizard of Oz

Get a Life!• Where’s your juice?• What gets your interest?• Where’s your energy?• Where do you feel your spirit?• Mechanics, the Arts, People, Science• What moves you?

Developmental tasks

• Boredom/ Developing Interests• Good times• Stress• Social Skills• Academic Skills• Answer the question “Who am I?”

Tetrahydrocannibinol• Hippies 1-3% THC Cannabis Sativa

cost $5-$10/ounce• Vietnam 5-10% THC Cannabis Indica

cost $5-$10/ gram• Sensimilla 10-15% THC Grown

without seeds• Purple 15-20% THC Northern

California Horticulture (Indoors)

The Brain and Cannabinoid Sites• Nucleus Accumbens• Hippocampus• Cerebellum

Or how we trick the brain

Hippocampus, say what?

• Retrieves relevant information• Stores new info it deems relevant

Cerebellum• Controls internal and external

coordination

How well does the drug work?

Message for ParentsGive a Delaying message

• Safety• Prefrontal cortex less involved

(See next slide)• Brain is developing• Short circuiting developmental tasks• The research

Adolescent Brain Adult Brain

≤ 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ≥ 210%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

47% 45%38%

32% 28%

15% 17%11% 9%

Dependent in Lifetime

Age Began Drinking

Percentage of U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Older Dependent on Alcohol, By Age of

Drinking Onset

References

• Tim Cermak – Marijuana: What’s a Parent to Believe – Hazelden Press

• Recommended Web Site – Partnership for Drug Free America

• Ralph Cantor rjcantor@aol.com 510-653-9410