Pubdate: Thu, 3 Mar 2011
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2011 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Patti Skelton-McGougan
Note: Patti Skelton- McGougan is executive director of Youth Eastside Services.
Referenced: Editorial: Legalize Marijuana 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n000/a010.html
Referenced: Column: Legalizing Cannabis: High Time for a Sober 
Discussion About Marijuana http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n130/a02.html
Bookmark: http://www.drugsense.org/cms/geoview/n-us-wa (Washington)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?261 (Cannabis - United States)

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA COULD HURT YOUNG PEOPLE

AS we consider the legalization of marijuana, we must bear in mind 
the impact on our youth. Politics aside, the legalization debate is 
sending a confusing message that's contributing to a rise in 
marijuana use among teens.

In the Seattle Times' Feb. 20 editorial calling for the legalizing of 
marijuana and Editorial Page Editor Ryan Blethen's Feb. 27 column, 
the potential impact on youth was blithely dismissed.

As the head of an agency that provides treatment to youth who abuse 
drugs and alcohol, I venture to say no one talked with experts in my field.

The number of middle-, junior- and high-school students experimenting 
with marijuana is the highest since the 1980s, according to the 
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Puget Sound agencies that treat 
substance abuse in youth, like Youth Eastside Services (YES), report 
marijuana is the No. 1 drug of choice for teens battling addiction. 
And most experts would say the legalization debate is one of the 
factors accounting for this increase.

At YES, we work with youth in schools, teen centers and in our 
substance abuse and mental health treatment programs. Across the 
board, our counselors report a change in attitude toward marijuana. 
Most teens see it as less dangerous and we hear them talk about the 
drug being natural, medicinal and "almost legal."

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is an addictive substance. 
Moreover, the potency of marijuana today has doubled and even tripled 
when compared to that of the 1960s, '70s and '80s -- making for 
powerful highs and powerful addictions.

It typically costs YES more than $1,000 to provide substance-abuse 
treatment to a single youth, to say nothing of the costs of recovery 
support. While insurance can cover some of this expense, for those 
who lack insurance or income to cover the costs, it's often 
subsidized by taxpayers.

Since the Times is supporting selling pot in liquor stores, let's 
look at alcohol and the comparison it provides. Alcohol is the No. 1 
drug used by teens. Why? Because it is legal, they see their parents 
using it, it's more accepted and because they have easy access to it. 
Youth can get it at home, they can ask others to purchase it for 
them, they can even purchase it themselves (with enough perseverance 
or a fake ID). And unfortunately, some parents even make it available 
to their teens.

Local and national studies show that approximately 25 percent of 
teens have had a drink in the last 30 days. And 80 percent of those 
are binge drinkers. Not all teens who drink will become alcoholics, 
but those who do have a significantly higher chance of developing 
alcoholism as an adult -- 40 percent higher for those who start 
drinking between ages 14 and 17.

If we legalize marijuana, kids will see their parents using it, it 
will be more accepted and they will have easier access. It's not a 
stretch to say we will see an increased use and more problems with 
addiction with kids and their parents.

We also can't dismiss a recent Harvard study showing that marijuana 
has an especially negative impact on the developing brain. Regular 
marijuana use results in poorer school performance and attendance as 
well as loss of interest in other activities. In addition, pot use is 
associated with respiratory and mental illness, poor motor 
performance and impaired cognitive and immune system functions. 
Furthermore, addiction can be associated with increased rates of 
anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

To look at only the taxpayer benefits of legalizing pot is 
short-sighted and potentially dangerous. Marijuana is a powerful drug 
that needs full consideration of all its impacts and costs. And 
without a doubt the impact and costs associated with our youth should 
be at the top of that list -- not relegated to a small consideration. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake