A growing number of children in Australia are getting more hooked on marijuana use. Data shows that children as young as 10 use marijuana and other drugs more than alcohol.

The Sunday Mail reports that almost 3,500 charges were placed against children with ages 10 to 15. They were involved with drug-related offenses that occurred within the last three years. In the period, only 1,100 offenses by children that were related to liquor were documented.

Police and health experts express are alarmed over the worsening condition of children taking a casual approach to drugs. Dope is reported to be top on their list. One reason why drugs are in such in demand is that it cheaper and more accessible than alcohol, says a TruthDive report.

Young drug users are said to pay only 20 dollars per gram for marijuana. Dope of this quantity can be divided among several people, as only half a gram is needed to make one joint.

"There is definite evidence that children are using cannabis at a much younger age these days," News.com.au quoted Richard Norman, Drug Arm's treatment co-ordinator in Brisbane as saying.

"Children in grade seven or eight can have a misinformed, casual attitude to the drug.

"Cannabis is so readily available to the younger kids through older friends or siblings. Some are getting it free. It can be easier to access cannabis than alcohol."

"As a GP I have seen children in this age bracket of 10-15 years use marijuana on a regular basis and I personally find it extremely distressing," Australian Medical Association Queensland President Dr Richard Kidd told The Sunday Mail. (ANI)

Effects of Marijuana on Teenage Health

According to a report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Web site, marijuana abusers are at risk for physical and mental problems. And the severity of these effects give more reason why young people should avoid using drugs.

For one, those who use marijuana can develop lung injuries because of the respiratory irritants and carcinogens present in marijuana smoke. This translates to them suffering from breathing problems, coughs, colds, bronchitis, and worse, lung and other types of cancer.

Long term marijuana use can lead to addiction. Data show that about 9 percent of people who use marijuana become dependent on it. The rate rises to a rate of about one in six in people who start using the drug at a young age, and an increase of 25 to 50 percent in daily users.

Finally, marijuana use affects brain functioning, particularly the ability to perform complex tasks that require focus and alertness. One grave effect on the mental health of those who start using it at a young age is the risk of developing psychosis if the person has a genetic vulnerability to it.

A Harvard Health publication article refers to evidence that indicates regular marijuana use increases the risk of a teenager developing psychosis, which is "a pattern of unusual thoughts or perceptions, such as believing the television is transmitting secret messages. The report adds that marijuana also increases the risk of developing schizophrenia, which is "a disabling brain disorder that not only causes psychosis, but also problems concentrating and loss of emotional expression."

Current research indicates a relation between smoking weed and psychosis. The article adds that it is already known that THC, a marijuana compound, produces chemical reactions that have something to do with the drug's psychological and physical effects on a person. But further research is needed to know how marijuana can lead to psychosis. One particularly theory that can be investigated is that "marijuana may interfere with normal brain development during the teenage years and young adulthood."

An article from the Harvard Mental Health Letter explains this theory. "The teenage brain is still a work in progress. Between the teen years and the mid-20s, areas of the brain responsible for judgment and problem solving are still making connections with the emotional centers of the brain. Smoking marijuana may derail this process and so increase a young person's vulnerability to psychotic thinking."