cannabisnews.com: Drug Czar Inform Parents About Marijuana Drug Czar Inform Parents About Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on September 17, 2002 at 18:22:38 PT ONDCP Press Release Source: PRNewswire The nation's leaders in public health, parenting and drug prevention have joined the White House Drug Czar to warn parents about the serious risks of youth marijuana use. Starting tomorrow, an "Open Letter to Parents About Marijuana" will appear in nearly 300 newspapers nationwide. Signed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and 17 national organizations, the letter warns parents that marijuana is a serious drug with serious consequences for young users. Representatives of these organizations appeared today at a press conference with the Drug Czar and the Surgeon General and urged parents to learn more about marijuana and give their kids the facts."Marijuana is riskier than people think, especially for kids. Smoking marijuana can lead to significant health and behavior problems for youth -- disrupting families and jeopardizing our children's futures," said John P. Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The risks associated with marijuana have been trivialized and our kids are getting the wrong message. It is time to dispel the myths about marijuana. The facts are compelling, but we must arm parents, teachers, community leaders and our children with the truth. Outdated and false perceptions about the drug are putting today's kids at risk.""Young marijuana users face serious risks. Marijuana can harm the brain, lungs and mental health. Research also shows that marijuana is addictive," said Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D. "More teens enter drug treatment each year for marijuana than for all other illicit drugs combined. Marijuana use is also three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adults."Part of a larger marijuana prevention initiative that the ONDCP is rolling out this fall, the "Open Letter to Parents about Marijuana" urges parents to learn more about marijuana and to talk to their kids about the harm it poses to young users, including putting them at risk for a host of significant health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in their lives. The letter is signed by the ONDCP and the American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Emergency Physicians; American Medical Association; American Society of Addiction Medicine; Child Welfare League of America; Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America/Drug-Free Kids Campaign; National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse; National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors; National Center for School Health Nursing; National Crime Prevention Council; National Families in Action; National Family Partnership; National Indian Health Board; National Medical Association; National PTA; and National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. These groups will help distribute educational materials about marijuana to parents and youth this fall."The American Medical Association welcomes the opportunity to be one of 17 national organizations supporting the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign against marijuana," said Richard F. Corlin, M.D., immediate past president, AMA. "For far too long, the message to our nation's young people has been that marijuana is harmless, when research has clearly proven that is not the case. Marijuana is mind-altering, it can be addictive, and it can lead to destructive behavior."The initiative will also include new print and broadcast advertising running this fall designed to dispel popular myths and misconceptions about marijuana. The advertising educates parents about the things they can say and do to keep their kids drug-free. The Media Campaign is also publishing a new marijuana-specific pamphlet for parents that will be available next month."Make no mistake, marijuana is a harmful, addictive drug that is readily available to our children in communities across the country," said Louis Z. Cooper, M.D., president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Teenagers who are smoking marijuana today are using a drug more potent than what was available in the 1960s.""The National Medical Association has become involved with this campaign because marijuana is a problem in our community," said L. Natalie Carroll, M.D., president of the NMA. "We do not want to see illicit drug use among our youth and we believe that marijuana negatively affects many aspects of a young person's life, including the ability to learn and think.""National PTA is pleased to support ONDCP's initiative to increase awareness of the dangers of drug abuse to the nation's children," said National PTA President Shirley Igo. "The solution to the problem of alcohol and drug abuse is not simple nor will it be accomplished quickly. It will take a sustained and collaborative effort on the part of all those who have a stake in building healthy communities, especially parents."More kids use marijuana than cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and all other illicit drugs combined. In fact, approximately 60 percent of young people who use illicit drugs use marijuana only. And the number of 8th graders who have used the drug has doubled in the last decade from one in ten to one in five.Studies also show that kids who use marijuana don't do as well in school. Research has found that young people with an average grade of "D" or below were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the last year than those with an average grade of "A."Young marijuana users are also more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as having sex, becoming involved in violence, getting in trouble with the law, driving while high or riding with someone who is, or experimenting with other illegal drugs. Kids ages 12-17 who use marijuana weekly are five times more likely to steal and nearly four times more likely to engage in violent acts than those who don't.However, research also shows that parents are the most powerful influence on their kids when it comes to marijuana. Two-thirds of youth ages 13-17 say losing their parents' respect is one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs.Parents can help keep their kids drug-free by asking questions and staying involved in their childrens' lives. More information about the effects of marijuana use and its signs and symptoms, as well as advice for parents on keeping kids drug-free, can be found on ONDCP's Media Campaign Web site for parents at: http://www.TheAntiDrug.com Parents can also call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-788-2800 for free resources. Information for youth about marijuana can be found by visiting: http://www.Freevibe.comIn 1998, with the bipartisan support of Congress and the President, ONDCP created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, an effort designed to educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs. Counting on an unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds wherever they live, learn, work, play and practice their faith.Note: Surgeon General, American Medical Association, National PTA and American Academy of Pediatrics Among Those Urging Parents to Talk to Their Kids About the Risks of Marijuana. Complete Title: White House Drug Czar and Public Health, Prevention and Parenting Leaders Inform Parents About Harms of MarijuanaSource: Office of National Drug Control Policy; National Youth Anti-Drug For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign visit: http://www.mediacampaign.org -- http://www.freevibe.com or http://www.theantidrug.comSource: PRNewswirePublished: September 17, 2002Copyright: 2002 PRNewswireWebsite: http://www.prnewswire.comRelated Articles & Web Site:It’s Not Easy Being a Meaniehttp://www.drugwar.com/index.shtmNetworks Balk at Pot Spotshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14146.shtmlU.S. Official Warns of Teen Pot Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14145.shtmlThe Violent Side of Marijuana Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14140.shtmlNew Drug War - ABCNews.com http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14128.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by John Markes on September 19, 2002 at 06:55:01 PT credibility It's sad that these organisations would so willingly let their own credibility be tied to that of federally paid soothsayers who more and more kids disbelieve. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by BGreen on September 18, 2002 at 20:21:36 PT Our new surgeon general SWAT team member of the sheriffs dept, took 8 years to get board certified in his field of general surgery, failing the exam twice, and "Some colleagues also have suggested he has a confrontational style that makes him difficult to work with."Read the entire article at: Surgeon general nominee combined doctoring, SWAT time [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Jeaneous on September 18, 2002 at 18:54:29 PT: Going with my Name Tag Duzt... I plan on wearing a name tag and I'm sure hoping that some of the others will even if it's just your on-line name. Can't wait.... [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Duzt on September 17, 2002 at 20:49:46 PT jeaneous 20 miles away? I'm about 25 (near Placerville). Sac will be huge, people from all over the country. Let's make some noise. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 17, 2002 at 19:27:32 PT Hi Jean What a Day!!!! I post press releases from the ONDCP to show them that I am being fair. I want them to be fair and show how we feel too. We are the honest ones and I sure hope they soon see that we don't want the world to smoke but we don't want raids happening. Terrorism is a threat but not people who believe in Cannabis and it's benefits. All of those that are against us are receiving money. We aren't. Our motives are the right ones.Let us know how the event in Sacramento goes next week. I'm sure articles will be written about them soon. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Jeaneous on September 17, 2002 at 19:09:33 PT: oh well Guess I should have read futher down in the postings... So I guess it still means nothing..... only that the protest on Monday is even more important... [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by whatever on September 17, 2002 at 19:03:35 PT I'm disgusted... with the surgeon general and the medical associations coming out in support of this hogwash. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Jeaneous on September 17, 2002 at 18:58:47 PT: Duh! I would think that the majority of "us" support the fact that marijuana is a drug and of course children should not use it unless they are ill and under a dr's orders.This is actually more of truth than has ever escaped their lips. No talk of adults actions or of medicinal patients. It would be shocking to see them actually start to listen and do the right thing. Leave adults and medicinals alone. Go after the "bad guys". We are "Good Americans" too.The cat is out of the bag now and it's pretty tough to get it back in. We have known the truth all along and have been trying to make them tell the truth. This next Monday in Sacramento is going to be huge. I can't wait. I absolutely have to go to this one. It's twenty miles away. How cool. To actually be able to "be" there instead of just writing to people and papers. I'm so excited!I know I will meet lot's of wonderful people there. Maybe some from on here too. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment