Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 Source: Mountain Times, The (NC) Copyright: 2003 The Mountain Times. Contact: http://www.mountaintimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1699 Note: Does not accept LTEs via email or feedback form. All LTEs must be mailed. Author: Mike Shands MARIJUANA MISCONCEPTIONS Parents Can Steer Children In Right Direction The Alcohol/Drug Council is spreading the word about the dangers of smoking marijuana. As part of a government anti-drug campaign this summer the Alcohol/Drug Council is aiming its message directly at children and their parents because statistics show that marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among America's youth. Each year more children enter treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined. About 60 percent of children who use drugs list marijuana as their drug of choice, and between 1991 and 2001 the number of eighth-graders who used marijuana doubled from one in 10 to one in five. Those numbers become even more alarming now that scientists have established that marijuana is addictive and considerably more potent than it was decades ago. Research shows that levels of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) rose from less than 1 percent in the mid-1970s to more than 7 percent in 2002. Sinsemilla potency also increased from 6 percent to more than 14 percent. That increased potency can also cause the smoker to make a greater number of poor decisions. Research shows that kids who regularly smoke marijuana are more likely to engage in risky behaviors that may put their futures in jeopardy. One study found that marijuana users in their later teens were more likely to have an increased risk of delinquency, to have multiple sexual partners, to perceive drugs as not harmful, to have problems with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana and to have more friends who exhibit deviant behavior. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, those ages 12 to 17 who use marijuana weekly are nine times more likely than non-users to experiment with other illegal drugs or alcohol, five times more likely to steal and nearly four times more likely to engage in violence. Then there are the more immediate health risks to the body - regular marijuana users often develop breathing problems such as chronic coughing and wheezing because Marijuana contains the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco. Regardless of THC content the amount of tar marijuana smokers inhale and the level of carbon monoxide they absorb are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers for similar amounts. Smoking marijuana also leads to some changes in the brain similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin and alcohol. For young users marijuana can lead to increased anxiety, panic attacks, depression and other mental health problems. Marijuana also affects learning and academic achievement - researchers have found that heavy marijuana use impairs the ability of young people to concentrate and retain information. This may pose an even greater threat during teens' peak learning years, when their brains are still developing. One study found an association between an increase in adolescent marijuana use and a decrease in the likelihood of attaining at least a high school education. Research has also found that youths with an average grade of D or below were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as youths who reported an average grade of A. Marijuana also impairs driving because it affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time - many of the skills required for safe driving and other tasks. These effects can last several hours after smoking marijuana. A roadside study of reckless drivers who were not impaired by alcohol showed that 45 percent tested positive for marijuana. Parents Can Make A Difference Parents are the most powerful influence on their kids when it comes to drugs - two-thirds of those age 13 to 17 say losing their parents' respect is one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs. In 2000, only 7 percent of those age 12 to 17 who indicated that their parents would strongly disapprove if they tried marijuana once or twice had used an illicit drug in the past month. But 31 percent of youth whose parents did not strongly disapprove reported use of an illicit drug in the past month. For more information about dealing with marijuana look online at www.TheAntiDrug.com, www.LaAntiDroga.com, www.Freevibe.com, www.TeachersGuide.org or (Sidebar) Make A Case Against Marijuana If Your Child Says - "Marijuana is a natural plant; how harmful could it be?" You Can Say - "Smoking marijuana is at least as bad as smoking cigarettes, and you already know how dangerous tobacco is to your health. Marijuana can harm your future, too. It's proven that it's harder to concentrate and retain information when you've been using pot." If Your Child Says - "Marijuana is not addictive" You Can Say - "Sixty percent of youth currently in treatment have a primary diagnosis of marijuana. More youth enter drug treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependency than for all other illicit drugs combined." If Your Child Says - "Marijuana can't cause any real problems in the long term" You Can Say - "If you smoke marijuana, you could do things that jeopardize your future, like having sex or getting in trouble with the law. You can lose scholarship or loan money, or get kicked off the sports team." If Your Child Says - "Marijuana only makes you mellow" You Can Say - "Not always. Sometimes it makes people violent. Kids who use marijuana weekly are four times more likely to engage in violent behavior than those who don't." If Your Child Says - "Marijuana's not as popular as new drugs like ecstasy" You Can Say - "More kids use marijuana than any other illicit drug by far." If Your Child Says - "If I smoke marijuana, I'm not hurting anyone else" You Can Say - "Marijuana trafficking is a big, international, often violent business. The people behind it are criminals. If you're smoking pot, you could be hurting other people." If Your Child Says - "You smoked pot and turned out fine" You Can Say - "This isn't about my past - it's about your future. Marijuana is illegal and can be risky. I don't want you using the drug." If Your Child Says - "I know straight "A" students who smoke pot" You Can Say - "Most kids who smoke marijuana don't make straight "A"s. Research shows that kids with an average grade of "D" or below were more than four times more likely to have used marijuana in the past year as kids who reported an average grade of "A." If Your Child Says - "Marijuana must be good for you; it's medicine" You Can Say - "Marijuana is not a medicine. A THC (active ingredient of marijuana) pill is available by prescription for treating cancer and AIDS patients, but more research needs to be done before marijuana can be used as medicine. Remember, smoked marijuana contains over 400 known carcinogens." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens