Hi there,
Thanks for your letter.
I can hear youre concerned about the dangers of smoking weed. Youve done the right thing in deciding to ask me about this.
It sounds like youre thinking about keeping yourself safe, which is really good to hear. Truthfully though, even if youre taking drugs within a controlled environment there is always a danger.
Even if youre at home while you are smoking, you could hurt yourself in an accident or really embarrass yourself while you are not in control of what you are doing.
There are other risks too. Recently, theres been a lot in the news about the potential for cannabis to cause long term mental health problems for some people. Illegal drugs may be mixed with all kinds of other stuff and you can never be sure exactly what youre putting into your body. Theres also a risk of becoming dependent on any drugs you take. When someone is dependent on drugs, they find it harder to stop and the drug might become a bigger part of their life.
Drugs can end up getting people into trouble with the police and can sometimes damage relationships with friends or family. You could take a look at the risks of drugs page in the Explore section for more information and advice.
There are a lot of free confidential services out there for young people who are concerned about the dangers of taking drugs. For example, Talk to Frank offers honest, non-judgemental information, advice and support for young people about anything to do with drugs or other substances. You can call, text or email them 24 hours a day for support. They aim to help young people make informed choices about the risks involved in taking drugs. The Talk to Frank website also has a page where you can search for a face-to-face service near you if you want help in changing the way you use drugs.
You may find it helpful to speak to other young people about your concerns, by going on the ChildLine message boards.
If you want to talk more in private about what is going on, you can always talk to one of the ChildLine counsellors by phoning 0800 1111 for free, logging in for a 1-2-1 chat or sending an email. The counsellor could talk through your options and explore how its making you feel, which could help you to feel less alone with your worry.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
