Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jul 2003
Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI)
Copyright: 2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Contact:  http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195
Author: Ray Gagner

MARIJUANA ERADICATION DOESN'T LEAD TO ICE USE

Lee Cataluna's recent column on legalizing marijuana is right on target. 
The assertion that marijuana eradication efforts lead to ice use is 
contradicted by the facts.

In 2002, the Hawai'i Department of Health surveyed over 25,000 students in 
public and private schools. That study asked students how difficult it was 
for them to get marijuana. Nearly 63 percent of 10th-grade students and 
nearly 72 percent of high school seniors said it was "fairly easy" or "very 
easy" to obtain pot.

If the average high school student is having no difficulty getting 
pakalolo, it is difficult to believe that a marijuana shortage is driving 
people to use hard drugs. (Source: 2002 Hawai'i Student Alcohol, Tobacco, 
and Other Drug Use Study, available online at the Hawai'i DOH Web site, 
www.state.hi.us/doh/ )

Ray Gagner

Kailua
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MAP posted-by: Beth