Pubdate: Wed, 22 Feb 2012
Source: Daily News, The (Newburyport, MA)
Copyright: 2012 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/k3oQxseR
Website: http://www.newburyportnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/693
Authors: Beverly Heinze-Lacey, Denise Gough, Lorna Hossack, Lynne
Rurak, Michelle Rybicki
Note: Newburyport public school nurses: Beverly Heinze-Lacey, RN,
MPH, nurse leader; Denise Gough, RN, NSCN; Lorna Hossack, RN, NCSN;
Lynne Rurak, RN; Michelle Rybicki, RN

IT IS IMPERATIVE TO BACK MARIJUANA ORDINANCE

The Newburyport public school nurses are asking city councilors to
vote in support of the new marijuana ordinance introduced by City
Councilor Brian Derrivan. District nurses are concerned about the
health and safety of our community residents and especially our youth.
The new Massachusetts law decriminalizes possession of small amounts
of marijuana, but it is still illegal. Unfortunately, our students
have misinterpreted this law and think that marijuana is now legal.
Many students also seem to think that using marijuana is "no big deal"
and "safe." In truth, there are health and safety risks to using marijuana:

Marijuana is addictive: Addiction occurs in about 16 percent of users
who start in their teens. Marijuana accounts for 63 percent of
substance abuse treatment admissions among youth aged 12 to 14 and 69
percent of those aged 15 to 17. In addition, animal studies suggest
that exposure to marijuana during adolescence may increase the risk of
developing addiction to other substances of abuse, such as cocaine and
methamphetamine.

Marijuana is unsafe if you are behind the wheel: Marijuana use makes
it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the
road. Marijuana is the most commonly identified illicit drug in fatal
accidents (14 percent of drivers), sometimes in combination with
alcohol or other drugs.

Marijuana is associated with school failure. It impairs short-term
memory, making it hard to learn and retain information and its effect
can last for days and sometimes weeks. Compared with their nonsmoking
peers, students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are
more likely to drop out of high school.

High doses of marijuana can cause psychosis or panic. A growing body
of research shows that marijuana use can be detrimental to adolescent
brain development. It may produce long-lasting neurocognitive deficits
and increased risk of mental health problems, including psychosis.

In people who already have schizophrenia, marijuana use can worsen
psychotic symptoms.

Use of marijuana by teens is increasing nationally. The most recent
data from the Monitoring the Future Survey of eighth-, 10th- and
12th-graders nationwide shows "a significant increase in marijuana
use, including daily marijuana use among U.S. high school students and
a decrease in perceived risk of use." The "annual prevalence (of
marijuana use) for eighth-graders during the past two years has been
higher than any time since 2003."

In 2009, Youth Risk Behavior Survey data showed marijuana use
increased in Massachusetts high school students for the first time
since 1995; prior to that, usage was steadily declining. In
Newburyport, the 2009 YRBS showed 34 percent of high school students
had used marijuana at least once in their lifetime (a decrease from 37
percent in 2007); and 24 percent had used it within the past 30 days
(no change from 2007). The 2011 YRBS data is pending, but anecdotal
reports suggest that our Massachusetts and Newburyport youth are
following national trends in their use, attitudes and beliefs around
marijuana.

Teen brains are "under development"; teens are notorious risk takers
and lack good judgment. They need adults to send clear messages about
risky behaviors and to support them in making healthy choices. In
Newburyport, we have an opportunity in the proposed ordinance to
protect the health and safety of our children. In sending a clear
message that our community does not tolerate public use of marijuana
by anyone (adults or youth), we support parents' and teachers' efforts
to teach our youth about the health risks of marijuana, and we give
teens a good reason to say no to using this drug.

For the health and safety of our children, we respectfully ask the
council to pass the marijuana ordinance.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.