cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana No Influence on Teen Use










  Medical Marijuana No Influence on Teen Use

Posted by CN Staff on September 06, 2005 at 15:51:15 PT
By Todd Zwillich 
Source: United Press International 

Washington, D.C. -- Teens in the handful of states allowing medical marijuana are no more likely to use the drug than those in other states, according to a study released Tuesday. The study shows widespread reductions in marijuana use have occurred generally at the same rate among all the states, including those allowing medical use.
The study was funded and released by the Marijuana Policy Project, a group backing medical-marijuana efforts nationwide. The group said its findings belie Bush administration claims that medical-marijuana laws send youth a mixed message that helps to encourage drug use.Ten states currently allow patients with certain medical conditions to use marijuana under the supervision of a physician.Overall, the United States has seen a decrease in marijuana's popularity among teenagers since 2000, after a prolonged increase in use during the 1990s. For example, compared with 1996, about 43 percent fewer 8th graders and 9 percent fewer 12th graders reported they had used the drug in the past 30 days in 2003.California became the first state to permit medical-marijuana use in 1996.At the same time, past-month use dropped by half among the state's 9th graders and by one-quarter among 11th graders, according to the report, which analyzed federal and state statistics. Approximately one-fifth of California's high school juniors now acknowledge using marijuana within the last month. Other states with medical-marijuana laws also saw varying reductions in youth marijuana use. Past-month use by 12th graders in Washington state was down 32 percent since a medical-marijuana law was enacted in 1998, though rates dropped only 12 percent among Maine's high school seniors since a similar law was passed there in 1999.Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada and Oregon also allow some medical marijuana, and all showed some reductions in youth use since the laws were passed. Montana and Vermont have enacted similar laws, but they did so too recently to detect any trends, the researchers said. Several other states are considering measures allowing the use of marijuana by patients, backed by some evidence the drug can ease a variety of health problems, including pain, nausea and weight loss caused by cancer, as well as AIDS and glaucoma. Bush administration drug officials have consistently fought the laws, stressing that such measures undermine efforts to persuade youth that marijuana is a dangerous drug. "Contrary to the fears expressed by opponents of medical-marijuana laws, there is no evidence that the enactment of 10 state medical-marijuana laws has produced an increase in adolescent marijuana use in those states or nationwide," the MPP study concluded. "Opponents of medical marijuana laws should cease making such unsubstantiated claims."Mitch Earleywine, one of the study's investigators, told United Press International the results show medical-marijuana laws have not stopped or slowed progress against illegal drug use in the eight states studied."Use is clearly decreasing regardless of medical marijuana laws," said Earleywine, an associate professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Albany.Tom Riley, a spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement that youth drug use has fallen largely because of increased perception among teens that drugs are dangerous. "Misleading messages that harmful substances are somehow 'good for them' send teens exactly the wrong message," Riley said. His statement did not directly address the study's state-by-state findings.Earlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled federal anti-drug agencies have the right to enforce nationwide bans on marijuana, even in states that allow medical use. The ruling was seen as a victory for the Bush administration, but it did not prevent states from enacting new medical-marijuana measures.Todd Zwillich covers healthcare matters for UPI. Source: United Press International (Wire)Author: Todd ZwillichPublished: September 6, 2005Copyright 2005 United Press InternationalWebsite: http://www.upi.com/ Contact: nationaldesk upi.comMarijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #36 posted by runderwo on September 07, 2005 at 19:51:29 PT
potpal
I'm glad you figured it out. I thought I posted in the wrong article or something... :)
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Comment #35 posted by Dankhank on September 07, 2005 at 11:44:59 PT:
Codecs ...
are tiny little pieces of software that help media players decode some of the many audio formats on the net ...In the past I have had to find the DIV3 codec for my WIN98SE version of Media Player to let it play DIVX encoded files.Sinc I moved up to WIN2K and downloaded the appropriate media player I have had few problems.Google the phrase: "WinMediaXP codecs update" or something similar and see what you find.
 
Sometimes Media Player will even tell you what codec you need, if so go find it ...I had a program that would test a A/V file and tell you what is wrong with it. Worked pretty good, too.I'll look for it again, let ya'll know later ...Since I don't use a firewall, and have NO resident virus-checking programs on my computers I can't specifically address potpal's comment, but would not be surprised.Everyone should know that virus-checkers can interfere with some computer routines, randomly with no clue that it is the checker goofin'.try this:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspxor this:Peace ...http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?displang=en&qstechnology=
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Comment #34 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 07, 2005 at 10:48:17 PT
Thanks PotPal
for the video link. I have a friend of mine here from there. He really appreciated and needed to see that. This internet revolution is to our today, as the gutenburg press was to the dark ages. They called that the renasaince period, but I think this is the final death spasm of the dark ages. 
  
  The more people learn how sanitized their news is, the more they will demand a government that meets their needs. In fact, what does govt in it's present form offer besides problems? Our judicial system is the inevitable result of being in the business of creating crime, and that is only one aspect of countless areas that is proving inadequate to the informed public.
 
  There is a law of thermodynamics which covers this in detail. It's the law of dissipative structures. Our society is simply become too complex for the way its run. So now it will change in a way, completely unpredictable, so that it will either be able too handle all of these new changes in a better manner, or it will destroy itself completely.   I see the repeal of the war on us as a focal point of all this change, but the real change (for me, at least) may be the way we change our views of other people. This link challenged many of our perspectives on how we view the police. And I am sure it challenged theirs as well. The bars open in the french quarter yesterday reminded me that I had never partied nekkid on bourbon street. I'm 45 now, so that's probably not going to be a pleasant sight, but I plan on doing just that at the next mardi gras. The spirit of New Orleans will survive. Peace to all,Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a choice
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Comment #33 posted by potpal on September 07, 2005 at 07:21:15 PT
Hope / codecs
I believe this has something to do with the media player itself. Are you somewhere where there is a firewall? In any case, go directly to cbsnews.com and viddy, Chief blasts Media coverage...ought to work.
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on September 07, 2005 at 06:57:53 PT
potpal
The video worked for me and I did see it yesterday on the news. Last night I checked in on a Neil Young board I read. One of the people tried to get into New Orleans because of someone they love was there. She was so upset about what she saw and the smells and dead bodies and because she was in a SUV they feared the way people were looking at them that they left. She said the tv isn't showing anything like how bad it is. She said she couldn't talk about it anymore because it was so overwhelming.
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Comment #31 posted by dongenero on September 07, 2005 at 06:49:35 PT
ONDCP is such a joke
Lame rebuttal from Riley is right. That's all they've got.
It's funny, he doesn't even speak to the study being covered in the article!In the future they could just disband the ONDCP, close the offices and just insert into any article, the 2 or 3 sentence talking points they've coined.
They could send a memo out to all of the media and say,"Please insert these comments into any article you write on illegal drug use, Thank you. Your friends and the ONDCP." The federal budget could be reduced by tens of billions of dollars and the results in nationwide drug use would be the same.
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Comment #30 posted by Hope on September 07, 2005 at 06:25:02 PT
comment 28....video
It won't work for me...something about a "codec". What's the story on the video?
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Comment #29 posted by potpal on September 07, 2005 at 05:14:15 PT
to be fair
That link is brought to you via the mainstream media...cbsHasn't anyone read America, Democracy Inaction, the book by the Jon Stewart and the Daily Show. Well, there a section in their where they elaborate on what goes into 24 hour news programs when in actuality there is only an average of 6 minutes of news a day. It is a real classic breakdown.Good morning!
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Comment #28 posted by potpal on September 07, 2005 at 04:59:15 PT
leave it to the mainstream media...
to make it worst. The images they choose to show, over and over again, are part of the sick spin, and evidence of their complicity with the govt.http://video.cgi.cbsnews.com/video/video.pl?url=/media/2005/09/06/video821031.wmv&sid=500251&dart=news.video3Sorry, it comes with a commercial. I managed to find the direct link to this. You can get it on cbsnews.com also. I'd imagine they'll find a way to block anyone finding the direct link eventually. The video and video blog revolution has only just begun. Seems everyone is able to incorporate a viewer embedded into the html and each has tweaked it differently. Some allow fast forwarding so you can skip commercials, some figured that out and ya gotta sit through them but you can mute! Some allow you to rewind on the fly, the idea will be to make you sit through commercials of course, its a business model that works and in place for other media, and you don't have to go there. The net also will allow web broadcasters to know exactly what people are viewing, unlike tv that for the most part is a guess. All something we'll have to get use to, maybe someday a standard will evolve. But alas, variety is the...or is that cannabis?...anyway, I digress...
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 20:23:51 PT
Hope
Sometimes I don't read the articles but read the comments and I post them! Now that's bad! LOL!
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Comment #26 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 20:20:09 PT
potpal
It's really good to hear the station. 
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Comment #25 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 20:14:05 PT
wwoz / runderwo
Try again, the link (not 'like' doh)http://www.wwoz.org/exile.phpOnce there, you must pick a stream...Runderwo,Got me. I had jumped into this thread w/some ot stuff and never did read the post until now...:-)
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 20:12:14 PT
Opps
I removed my extra post.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 20:09:28 PT

Dankhank 
I got it with Nero. I don't know why it didn't work with Real or Windows Media. Something about a codec.PS: I really enjoyed Episode #5 of Weeds last night. Great show!
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Comment #21 posted by Dankhank on September 06, 2005 at 19:57:40 PT

winmedia
WWOZ exile is working for me, now, hooked right up ...sounds pretty good for a 32Kbit stream ...
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 19:50:44 PT

 potpal 
It didn't work for me. I tried Windows Media Player and Real Audio. Maybe it isn't working right now and that would be understandable.
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on September 06, 2005 at 19:40:04 PT

Potpal, Comment 17
"Runderwo...what are you referencing?"*smile* Now I'm sure I'm not the only one who sometimes reads the comments before he reads the article.
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Comment #18 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 06, 2005 at 19:24:43 PT:

PotPal
Thanks, I told you I wasn't that smart! Thanks, I have perhaps Overmedicated tonight. :)
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Comment #17 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 19:21:28 PT

wwoz in exile
Like got dorked...
http://www.wwoz.org/exile.phpThat's ought to work.Runderwo...what are you referencing?
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Comment #16 posted by E_Johnson on September 06, 2005 at 19:18:42 PT

This is how I feel on the subject
The best way to keep teenagers from trying pot is to convince them that it is a medicine best used by old people with diseases. Teens are not afraid of dying, but diseases and old people give them the creeps.
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Comment #15 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 19:18:15 PT

Jim - FOM
Jim, didn't necessarily mean 'spam' just lack of a better word for passing on good reads to friends and foe. I know where to write you now!FOM, WWOZ in exile...http://www.wwoz.org/exile.php...the beat goes on.Muzzic (and muzzicians) will play a major role in New Orleans recovery. It is its life blood. Windup radios ought to be included in any air drops.Give pot a chance.
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Comment #14 posted by runderwo on September 06, 2005 at 18:52:59 PT

happy to see this
I'm on MPP's 'monthly subscription' donation plan. Glad to see my money is being put to good use! And what an unbelievably lame rebuttal by Riley. Is that the best he can do?
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Comment #13 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 06, 2005 at 18:46:39 PT

Proof
that I'm not that bright. I'd been going to the MAP site for a while, and as much time as I'd spent there, never noticed they were already promoting just that sort of campaign. Had only used them for finding news. But, at least I know it's being done already. Maybe a few more people (hopefully more intelligent) will begin looking.Thanks potpal, I'm not into spamming, but firstcannabistchurch yahoo.com is no longer available to the public! Also, I guess that could go on a homepage somehere. Just wished I knew how to do all that stuff. Yech! I love the internet, but am such a know-nothing when it comes to how to use it.Peace all,Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a choice
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Comment #12 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 18:32:37 PT

ammo
I found this faq page of LEAP and the answers a good read and worth memorizing if you haven't already...pass it on.http://leap.cc/howard/faq2.html 
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 18:32:12 PT

potpal 
Thank you for the article. I appreciate it.PS: How are you doing? I know how much you like that one New Orleans radio station that is gone now.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 18:23:28 PT

The Most Important Thing To Me
The most important thing to me is to care. Care for whatever reason that motivates an individual. Care to find another way if one way doesn't work that well. Then be flexible. Change, grow, listen and learn. Gain knowledge and share it and that is how we will grow and be strong and hold our heads up and be content with our efforts.
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Comment #9 posted by ekim on September 06, 2005 at 18:02:00 PT

Cowboy Cop Rides Through Fredonia 07:30 PM 
Sep 7 05 Cowboy Cop Rides Through Fredonia 07:30 PM Howard Wooldridge Fredonia New York USA 
 LEAP's very own "Cowboy Cop" Howard Wooldridge passes through Fredonia and makes a stop at SUNY-Fredonia College as his cross country tour to end America's failed war on drugs winds down. Howard will be stopping to talk with students and local citizens about the impact that drug prohibition has on their local and national communities. To meet and listen to Howard, go to the Williams Center, 2nd Floor, Room S-104. Follow Howard on his journey at http://www.LEAP.cc/Howard Sep 7 05 WMSE Radio 91.7FM, Millwaukee School of Engineering 12:00 PM Howard Wooldridge Milwaukee Wisconsin USA 
 Board Member Howard Wooldridge is a phone in guest to WMSE Radio 91.7 FM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Howard will be discussing a variety of issues related to the failure of America's war on drugs. Issues such as mandatory minimum sentencing, the HEA Act's impact on college students, the break up of families and Howard's cross country horse back trip to end drug prohibition. Listen online at: http://www.wmse.org/main.php3 Follow Howard on his journey at: http://www.LEAP.cc/Howard 

http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #8 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 18:00:47 PT

some more ot...(fom if too much ot, howler)
Seems the war on poverty quietly ended somewhere along the line. Who won? http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/24991/ Pass out the pot. Let it grow.Jim, may also be beneficial to take the most meaningful articles you know/find and spam your world with them. The more the truth circulates the better...create a free yahoo email acct, like letthetruthbetold yahoo.com and pass 'em on via that acct to anybody and everybody...can't hurt.
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Comment #7 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 06, 2005 at 17:58:31 PT

FOM
 I understand and agree with you. Each person has a different way to wage peace. In fact, this site has been a springboard for my activism. The news and posts I've both read and responded to have helped to inspire me into a more activist role. In fact, it is because of the sheer numbers coming into this site, and it's open forum, that I came to this site to discuss the idea.  I also understand that many people, who are far more organized and smarter than I am, have already created the audience and interest in becoming involved in this war. It is to those other people, the ones who believe they are powerless to DO anything, but are interested in becoming more involved, that I offered the idea.  It was also for those who do write already. I figure most of the writings that I've read are better than anything I have written, but how many of those are never published because they were the lone letter responding.  I figured with the number of people who visit this site everyday, there would be enough people interested in writing those letters. After all, if only 1% of those wrote a letter a week, it would still be an enormous amount of email. However, I always like to think of the possibilities over the probabilities, so the upper limit of 80% support for medical marijuana is the number I think of while "advertising" this idea. Hey, if a reverend ain't got a hard job of selling, then I don't know who does! When you selling the thought of the big guy (or whatever you choose to call that concept) you gotta really go big on the sales pitch. lol
 
 Thank you again FOM, I'm hoping you see why my letters probably will never be published, as I know I always have a hard time getting my point across in these postings! ;) Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a thought 
  
  
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 17:37:07 PT

Jim
I am not into writing LTEs but keep my mind on cannabis related news. I believe CNews has been and hopefully will continue to be a spring board to different forms of activism. I think activism is broad and useful no matter what a person finds to do. The main thing is for people to do what they feel is important to them as an individual. That way the enthusiasm is the driving part. 
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Comment #5 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 06, 2005 at 17:29:02 PT

Fom
Thanks FOM. I realize many do, in fact I only started writing them after I remembered that Jose has written quite a few. What I was suggesting was more of an organized movement of letter writing. I guess an internet version of marching. As I said, it is the numbers that matter. I figure mine may never get published, but that if enough people wrote, then it would have helped another voice get through. Sort of a way to get their attention with an overloaded opinion email box. Then, some of the good writers out here could be heard. I figured some of these minds out here could figure out how to do such a thing. Thanks FOM, and thanks potpal as well, those links are all weapons in our war against us. The more the merrier!Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a choice
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 17:16:41 PT

Jim
We have a number of people here on CNews who write LTEs. It's a good thing. DrugSense and Mapinc. are the ones that host CNews.
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Comment #3 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 06, 2005 at 17:11:41 PT

An idea....
This is a great post, showing the insanity of our drug war, and clearly demonstrates how much of it is based on lies. Ain't it great? One day we can tell our grandkids that we were here when we repealed prohibition! But, that's only the result of what's to come. At least in my opinion.
 
 I know this war is fought on many fronts. And that victory is coming, but I just want to contribute as much as I can. I also know that there are a lot of people out there who want to do more as well, but don't know how.   Lately I've taken to visiting the MAP site. I'm sure many of you know the site, but here is the site for those who don't: http://www.mapinc.org/resource/. They have a drug news link which just pulls in drug news of all kinds from around the world. While there, I just started emailing letters to the editor. Why not? And then I thought, what if everyone who says they believed in cannabis prohibition, but thought they had no say, wrote as well?   I'm not sure what the effect would be, but if everyone who believes in the repeal of the War Against Us laws, were to write just one email just once a week, it would have to make a difference. And they would be printed if enough people wrote them. Newspapers aren't idiots, they know their customer base.   I know I have more time on my hands than most people, but I also know it doesn't take that long to write out an email. No matter how little thought is taken in the nicities of grammer in their composition, it is still a letter to the editor. And it is also your vote. Besides, it is the number that is more important than any quality. It is the number of "active" citizens that matter.   I understand this idea isn't the only one, just one of many. But, for those who believe they are powerless, I wanted to offer an opportunity for you to understand how you are not. I hope this idea is a good one, and that if it is, some of you could help improve upon it. As for me, I have enough spare time on my hand that I can do this, and other stuff as well.PeaceRev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a choice
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Comment #2 posted by potpal on September 06, 2005 at 16:34:44 PT

ot - nola - worth a listen
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10093.htmhttp://www.canofun.com/blog/videos/JeffersonParishonMTPviaDU.wmv 
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 06, 2005 at 15:55:02 PT

About MPP
I've been paying attention to what the different organization are doing and I must say that the stand that MPP is taking is one that I understand. I've only realized that lately and I thank them for their work.
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