Pubdate: Mon, 10 Mar 2014
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Post Company
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/mUgeOPdZ
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Connie Maas
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n215/a01.html

FRANK TALK ABOUT ADDICTION

Kristine Lessard's account of the tragic loss of her son to heroin 
["This addiction doesn't follow any rules," Local Opinions, March 2] 
struck a deep chord with me, as my husband and I lost our son to a 
cocaine addiction several years ago.

Subsequent letters to the editor have debated whether marijuana leads 
to more serious - and possibly fatal - drug addiction. I think the 
operative word is "addiction." Addiction is a disease, and when there 
is a family history of addiction, the stakes are higher. In addition 
to family history, there are other factors. Age is one. Frequency of 
use, another. Impact on daily life, still another. It is not an 
either-or question.

We need to broaden the conversation to include these other factors, 
discussing them openly and honestly within our families and educating 
our children about all of them.

Connie Maas, Silver Spring
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom