Pubdate: Tue, 04 Sep 2012
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2012 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Note: Prints only very short LTEs.

PUT POTHEADS ON ALERT

A pair of state lawmakers is hoping to correct the misguided decision
to decriminalize the possession of "small" amounts of marijuana by
teenagers in Massachusetts, and now comes a study that should give the
effort a necessary push.

Researchers in New Zealand reported last week that teens who
frequently smoke marijuana can experience a long-term drop in their IQ
- - a drop that is not experienced by those who begin to use pot
frequently after the age of 18.

The finding dovetails with earlier studies that suggest abusing
marijuana has a particularly negative impact on a young person's
developing brain - that regular pot-smoking makes kids, yes, stupid.

But in Massachusetts, official government policy still suggests to
young people that pot-smoking is perfectly harmless.

Thanks to the now-absurdly lenient marijuana possession law approved
by voters a few years ago teens who are caught with an ounce or less
of marijuana suffer more or less the same consequence as adults -
which is to say, they get a ticket that they're not really even
required to pay. The law also requires teens to attend a drug
education program.

Voters were told the change in the law would protect young people from
having to explain criminal pot busts on their record to prospective
colleges and employers. Who knows if that's worked but what it has
done is signal to young people that they can smoke with abandon and
not worry about the consequences.

The bill offered by Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) and Rep. James
Dwyer (D-Woburn) would subject people under the age of 21 caught with
an ounce or less of marijuana to arrest and the possible loss of
driver's license for 90 days - which by the way is about the same
consequence for a minor possessing alcohol.

It likely isn't going anywhere now that formal sessions have ended for
the year, but it should be reconsidered when the Legislature
reconvenes in January. To ignore the findings of this study would be
just dumb.
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MAP posted-by: Matt