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. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt