Pubdate: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 Source: Mobile Register (AL) Copyright: 2002 Mobile Register. Contact: http://www.al.com/mobileregister/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/269 Author: Bruce Mirken DRUG-USE SURVEY NOT ALL GOOD NEWS The Dec. 16 release of this year's "Monitoring the Future" survey of teen drug use was touted by officials as good news. Although there was a slight decline in use during 2002, the real story this survey tells is frightening: For the first time, as many teens are current users of illegal drugs as smoke cigarettes. And while cigarette use plunged in all age groups from 1991-2002, use of marijuana and other illicit drugs rose sharply. Among eighth-graders, the percentage using marijuana in the last month nearly tripled. Teens also reported that the availability of cigarettes, which are sold by regulated merchants, has gone down markedly in the last decade. Availability of marijuana, which is completely unregulated, had gone up -- even though the number of marijuana arrests has more than doubled since 1991. Our present policies are failing disastrously, and our kids are the victims. Will the drug war ideologues setting federal policy ever pay attention? BRUCE MIRKEN Director of Communications Marijuana Policy Project Washington - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens