Study: Teens Turn to Marijuana in Lieu of Prescription Drugs

Some teenagers are smoking marijuana for its medical benefits and not to get high, using the drug to self-medicate for conditions like depression, sleep problems, anxiety, stress, pain, and problems with concentration, HealthDay News reported April 23.

Researchers who interviewed 63 adolescents who were regular users of marijuana found that about one-third said they used the drug for medical purposes. “Youth who reported they had been prescribed drugs such as Ritalin, Prozac or sleeping pills stopped using them because they did not like how these drugs made them feel or found them ineffective,” according to the study authors. “For these kids, the purpose of smoking marijuana was not specifically about getting high or stoned.”

Some adolescents said marijuana provided immediate relief that prescription medications did not.

The study appears in the April 22, 2009 issue of the journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy.