Numerous researchers have postulated that abuse of substances has a significant impact on high crime rates. The effect is much felt among the youth who are the highest consumers of drugs. For instance, abuse of marijuana, especially among adolescents, may pose long-term consequences to both the abuser and also the community as a whole since it is associated with escalating the risk of involving oneself with juvenile crime (Green et al., 2010). The shared risk factor among crime and abuse of marijuana is a factor worth considering when figuring out the extent of the crime rate. Notably, Cannabis stands second among the most widely consumed intoxicant among teens. The drug has many adverse effects such as its impact to the brain not forgetting the alteration facilitates normal body functioning (Jacobus & Tapert, 2014). This essay thus portrays the implications of abusing marijuana on heightening juvenile crime.
Abuse of cannabis, just like other drugs, has a significant effect on the consumer. Some of the adverse effects include brain alteration thus damage. The drug negatively impacts neurocognitive performance, and microstructural and macrOstructural brain development (Jacobus & Tapert, 2014). The drug may, therefore, reduce the critical thinking capacity of the user, and they often find themselves getting involved in unethical activities without their cognition. They may be forced to steal to acquire money for more drugs. They may also engage in fights amongst themselves due to minor issues, and the consequence of the fight may be fatal which leads to an arrest. Research by Green et al., (2010) presented that heavy abusers of marijuana at a higher risk of conflicting with the criminal justice system as opposed to those who don’t consume it. The abusers are likely to be arrested due to crimes such as consumption of the drug, drug trafficking, and other drug-related crimes. Moreover, they held that the perception that cannabis triggers crime among adolescents is valid to some extent but not at the same rate as other drugs such as heroin. Heavy abuse of marijuana also increases the risk of dropping out of school (Green at al., 2010).
Furthermore, the consumption of marijuana, as well as cigarette smoking, triggers aggressive antisocial behavior among teens and young adults which may lead to an escalation of crime rates. After research that mainly focused on evaluating the longitudinal trajectories of cannabis consumption by adolescents, Passaroti et al., (2015) held that indeed there is a connection between marijuana consumption and juvenile crime. They also postulated that peer influence among teens drives many teens into unethical behaviors. The conclusions made by Passaroti et al., concerning the strong bond that exists between criminality and substance abuse were akin to those of Sharma and Bakataki in their article. After researching in New Delhi, the duo held that the more one gets involved in drug consumption, the more tenacious they become, therefore, their risk of participating in violent acts increases (Sharma and Barkataki, 2016).
Remarkably, it is evident that indeed juvenile crime is closely affiliated with marijuana abuse. Abuse of marijuana among the youths is more reflected in high crime rates. If they are introduced to drug consumption, they become useless people in the community and create havoc. The parents, the government and the community have significant roles to play in shaping the children at a tender age to ensure they don’t get involved in the abuse of marijuana and thus they become useful members of the community in their adulthood. Strict punishable measures should be enforced to discourage the consumption of marijuana among the young adults.
References
- Green, K. M., Doherty, E. E., Stuart, E. A., & Ensminger, M. E. (2010). Does Heavy Adolescent Marijuana Lead to Criminal Involvement in Adulthood? Evidence from a Multiwave Longitudinal Study of Urban African Americans. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 112(1-2), 117-125. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.05.018
- Jacobus, J., & Tapert, S. F. (2014). Effects of Cannabis on the Adolescent Brain. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20(13), 2186-2193.
- Passarotti, A., Crane, N. A., Hedeker, D., & Mermelstein, R. J. (2015). Longitudinal Trajectories of Marijuana Use from Adolescence to Young Adulthood. Addictive Behavior, 45, 301-308. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.02.008
- Sharma, S., Sharma, G., & Barkataki, B. (2016). Substance use and criminality among juveniles-under-inquiry in New Delhi. Indian Joumal of Psychiatry, 58(2), 178-182. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.183791
