Pubdate: Sun, 14 Jan 2007
Source: Signal, The (CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Signal
Contact:  http://www.the-signal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4221
Author: Jessica Marks
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Marijuana - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)

NATIONAL DRUG USE AMONG TEENS ON THE DECLINE

A recent study released by the National Drug Control  Policy and
President Bush's "Drug Czar" stated that  American teenage drug use is
down drastically - a  report that does not accurately portray Santa
Clarita  teens, anti-drug officials said.

The number of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students  claiming to use
drugs like marijuana and  methamphetamines went down 23 percent, equal
to roughly  840,000 fewer youth using illicit drugs nationwide in
2006 than in 2001, according to the report.

"There has been a substance abuse sea change among  American teens,"
John Walters, director of national  Drug Control Policy, said in a
statement. "They are  getting the message that dangerous drugs damage
their  lives and limit their futures."

The report relied on data complied by the University of  Michigan's
2006 "Monitoring the Future" study released  on Dec. 21.

The report also found an approximate 33 percent drop in  steroid use
among teens and a 50 to 66 percent drop in  hallucinogens like Ecstasy
and LSD.

While Walters credited anti-drug media campaigns with  deterring
teens, those statistics are nonsense, said  Cary Quashen, director and
founder of ACTION - a Santa  Clarita Valley nonprofit organization
that provides  substance abuse and crisis counseling.

"I think they bumped their heads," he said. "That's
ridiculous."

In his opinion, teenage marijuana use has exploded in  popularity
around Santa Clarita, making it one of the  most emotionally addictive
drugs available today.

"Marijuana is so powerful. People say it's not  addictive, but I could
pack a whole auditorium with  people telling you otherwise," he said.

There is even evidence to support the idea that  marijuana is
physically addictive as patients have  complained of difficulty
sleeping, headaches and  anxiety attacks when they have tried to quit,
he added.

However, these days, fewer local teenagers are using
methamphetamines, commonly referred to as "crystal  meth" - opting
instead to try prescription drugs or  cocaine to get high, Quashen
said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake