Although i've never smoked, i know that many kids do. In 2014 studies have shown that 6.5% of 8th graders chief, 16.6% for 10th graders, and 21.2% of 12th. There are many reasons why children smoke, but today i wanted to write about some ways we can prevent kids from smoking weed.

Some children smoke because they need to relieve stress, psychological or family issues, anxiety, or curiosity. Others smoke because it’s relatively cheap, peer pressure, or the neighborhood and the role models around them. I think that peer pure is one of the main ones because others might keep on telling you to smoke and encourage u to. Another one i think that is a main problem is the neighborhood that you live in because you might be seeing lots of people smoking and then you're going to be curious and try it.

I can personally connect to this. Some of my relatives have smoked weed and it lead them to other drugs. I would say that weed is the pathway drug. There are many effects of smoking weed. A couple of short term effects is memory, attention, learning and decision making. Some of the long term effects is poor school performance, higher dropout rates, increased welfare dependence, greater unemployment, and lower life satisfaction.

Studies have shown that kids who smoke are 3 times as likely of having suicidal thoughts than other peers who don't. Also you’re more likely to get schizophrenia later on in your teen years. Another effect is breathing problems, weed irritates the lungs, and if you're a pothead you can have the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have. It can also cause lung infections. But I think that there are many ways on how to prevent children from accessing weed.

I think one of the ways on how to stop underage smoking is to find something else you like to do like sports or if you’re gumpy then play chess. Another way is to calculate how much money you spend on weed like you waste so much money. But i think that the government hasn't done enough to stop underage smoking.

So it’s up to you, Mr. President. Are you willing to pay attention to underage smoking and do something about it? Will there be a generation that doesn't smoke? Or will there be kids smoking, hotboxing, and blowing O’s. The power is in your hands and you can stop this Mr. President.