Your friend is gambling with her life more than she may even realize. Thank you for your concern for her. I hope you will continue to show her kindness and friendship by your actions and words of concern.
Tell her you're worried about her. Let her know you'd be glad to listen if she ever wants to talk about her problem. Tell her you know others, like your school counselor, who are also willing to help out. Just knowing you're there for her may be all she needs to turn to you for help--when she's ready.
Your friend probably doesn't fully understand the major dangers of smoking pot. Let me mention just a few. Marijuana is a drug. It alters your mood and your senses. This means that when you use pot, you become intoxicated, or high, much like you would with alcohol. When people are high, they don't have full control of their emotions or other senses. That loss of control can lead to car accidents, unplanned pregnancies, even death. Marijuana also produces what experts call "amotivational syndrome." This means your brain can actually slow down and become lethargic or lazy, like it does when you're very tired. Sometimes, this damage is permanent and irreversible. Like I said, your friend is headed for real trouble.
Most teenagers don't realize that the marijuana used today is much stronger than the stuff used in the 1960s. This means your friend's high is different and stronger than the high teens were getting 30 years ago. Lastly, marijuana is what we call a "gateway" drug. This means there is a good chance your friend will move on to harder drugs, like cocaine, LSD and heroin.
Your friend needs to know this information. But she may not care that she's getting herself into some real trouble. So while you can give her the facts, what your friend needs most is your positive encouragement and your prayers. Remember, only God can turn a life around. |
