Pot in the Summer
By Connect with Kids “During the summer, I went out more. And during the school year, I was focused on my homework and stuff, and the summer was mostly just a time for me to relax and just chill out and go party.” – Angelique, 18 For most teens, the summer brings sun, swimming and maybe some extra time spent on the skateboard. But for others, the season marks the time when they first try pot. “Beginning of summer, first day of summer, in fact,” says Sarah, who’s 19. “It was during the summer because then we could stay out later and a lot of other kids were out of school, too,” 18-year-old Angelique adds. In fact, studies show 40 percent of teens who smoke marijuana first tried the drug during the summer. “They have a lot of free time. A lot of kids are bored during the summer. They’ve got nothing to do. So the fact that a lot of kids are starting to get into things they shouldn’t and experiment isn’t surprising at all,” says addiction counselor Dr. Robert Margolis, who serves as execut...