cannabisnews.com: Teen Use in Medical Marijuana States is Down





Teen Use in Medical Marijuana States is Down
Posted by CN Staff on September 11, 2005 at 06:48:12 PT
By Seth Freedland, The Daily Journal
Source: Ukiah Daily Journal
California -- Countering ominous predictions by anti-drug advocates, the 10 states that passed medical marijuana laws over the last decade have seen sharp declines in pot use among teenagers, according to a new survey by a marijuana advocacy organization.In California, usage among ninth-graders has plummeted 47 percent since 1996, the year the state became the first to legalize medical marijuana. The study, released by the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. this week, is based on data from national and state studies, which show a general drop in marijuana use by teens.
Although debate around medical marijuana is frequently colored by worries over increasing drug abuse by youth, the report found the opposite to be true. Legal approval of medical cannabis has not increased recreational use of marijuana among teens, the organization concluded. More notably, especially for Ukiah residents, the decline in many of the states with medical marijuana laws is "slightly more favorable" than nationwide trends, it reported. California, Colorado and Washington have all experienced significantly greater drops in marijuana usage than the national rate. Only three states with medical marijuana laws have lagged behind the nationwide drop in adolescent marijuana use, the report said."If medical marijuana laws send the wrong message to children," the study said, profound attention to the debate "would be expected to produce a nationwide increase in marijuana use, the largest increase in those states enacting medical marijuana laws. But just the opposite has occurred."The most extensive available data came from California, where a survey of about 6,000 teens every two years depicted climbing pot use before passage of the 1996 medical cannabis law. Across all grades, marijuana use plunged between 1996 and 2004, when the number of high school freshmen in California who reported using pot in the last 30 days dropped 47 percent. During the same period, the number of freshmen who sampled cannabis dropped 35 percent.Jane Warner, executive director for California's chapter of Partnership for A Drug-Free America, disagreed with the study's findings, saying: "There is no basis for tying the two issues together. Pot use is down because of what the Partnership has done along with the other anti-drug organizations. It has nothing to do with the medical issue or use."But the Marijuana Policy Project study suggests that medical marijuana may have recalibrated youth viewpoint on pot. "Perhaps medical marijuana laws send a very different message," the group said. Teens may increasingly consider pot "a treatment for serious illness, not a toy, and requires cautious and careful handling."Bruce Mirken, MPP's director of communications, admitted the fault in seeking out strong correlations between teen pot use and medical marijuana ordinances like Ukiah's using the available data."I just don't think there's a huge effect one way or the other," Mirken said. "(The study suggests) it has a counter-effect, but I don't think either is huge. As adults, we tend to project our own fears on what young people will do, but after all these laws and all this time the sky has not fallen."Mirken said he hoped anti-medical marijuana zealots who label proponents of these measures "potheads" -- as one woman loudly did during a pivotal Ukiah City Council meeting -- would be able to use the information to "take a deep breath and consider (medical marijuana laws) on their merits."Complete Title: Marijuana Study Finds Teen Use in Medical Marijuana States is DownSource: Ukiah Daily Journal (CA)Author: Seth Freedland, The Daily JournalPublished: Saturday, September 10, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Ukiah Daily JournalContact: udj pacific.netWebsite: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Pot Use Down Where Medical Use OKhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21090.shtml Medical Marijuana No Influence on Teen Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21089.shtml
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Comment #17 posted by dongenero on September 14, 2005 at 10:27:15 PT
pre-emptive impeachment
Good concept Mikeeee....I like that idea.I also understand that Bush plans to send all of the money for upgrading New Orlean's hurricane protection systems over to Iraq so that in the future we can fight the hurricanes there rather than here. 
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Comment #16 posted by runderwo on September 12, 2005 at 15:55:59 PT
FoM
Looks like it's fixed today. Whew!
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Comment #15 posted by mayan on September 12, 2005 at 03:20:24 PT
Off Topic
Petition forces vote on marijuana in Telluride:
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/11/9_11_Telluride_to_vote_on_p_WWW.htmlStudy Examines Role Of Cannabinoid Receptors In Alcohol Abuse:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050908084256.htmUK Youth Cannabis Use Drops After Reclassification:
http://www.hightimes.com/ht/news/content.php?bid=293&aid=5&PHPSESSID=cfaee33e66cbc4ccc536ecf49e499c3cOn an unrelated note, Representative Cynthia McKinney reportedly brought up the issue of impeachment on the House floor but it seems to have been censored from the Congressional Record transcript! She has some very damning words that need to be said and heard...Rep McKinney Special Order Censored???
http://rense.com/general67/specorder.htm
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 11, 2005 at 20:09:31 PT
runderwo
How long has the site been down? Maybe there's a glitch that needs fixed.
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Comment #13 posted by runderwo on September 11, 2005 at 19:57:21 PT
CCC
Anyone know what happened to cannabisconsumers.org? I told a friend to go there to check it out, and now the page is blank.
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on September 11, 2005 at 18:34:40 PT
Jim 
Good post. Thank you. I'm watching the concert from last night and listening to -- Tell Me America What Would Jesus Do. It's is beautiful and yet it is piercing. We are waking from our slumber I hope.
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Comment #11 posted by Jim Lunsford on September 11, 2005 at 18:02:46 PT
Just my thoughts on the gloom
  Zen Buddhists have an exercise in which you imagine everyone else in the world is enlightened, except for you. And they are all working together to help you. With that in mind, how is this government helping us? Maybe they are wondering how long and how much it will take for us to evolve out of this entire societal system.   A Justice department that is all old testament. Rules and regulations only benefiting the powerful. Preserve Peace and Protect Property used to be found on police badges. That is a motto to be found when the mission is to use the law as a tool of the rich to oppress the poor. This motto may still be on their badges, it's harder to have a conversation with cops anymore. Not since they became the welfare system.   A form of government that encourages the worst of capitalism. Even Adam Smith knew that pure capitalism would self-destruct. And, it is. Barbara Bush's statement about how good the poor had it in the houston arena is the 21st century version of "Let them eat cake". Well we will, and it will be HEMPCAKE and that's that. At least if we have the courage to stand up as a society and demand it.  Many changes are here. This internet has increased the flow of communications in such a diffuse manner as to be unstoppable. Unless of course the country is priced out of the internet. Like the poor. But overall, this is a much more powerful tool than the printing press, and that began the death rattle of the Dark Ages.   This is a wonderful time, in my opinion. It could be many things, but I am holding out for the type of change that might make this period, The Compassionate Age. It's what I have chosen Cannabis to symbolize for me. But, naturally we could screw it all up. I think the whole uncertainty of it makes for such an exciting drama.   Our entire societal model is under scrutiny, and has been deemed inadequate to deal with all the "stuff" that we call technology and such. Once the dam breaks in the white house, change will come. No one knows how it will wind up, as it's far too complicated to predict with any expectation of being right, but I'm betting on the sunny side results. Might as well.   Also, I heard something about an expose by 60 minutes on medical cannabis in california. Is that recent? Heard it was pro cannabis. Also, Volusia County, FL and the ACLU have talked of next week being Constitution Week. And five one hour movies will be played in local theaters for free. Something about the Patriot Act and our rights. Also, there is to be a dinner event with Max Cleland (sp?) and what he is up to in politics. Personally, I like the Green Party better. But, I think the more political parties, the better!   Anyway, all of these discussion seemed a little gloomy, so I thought I might point out some good possibilities and all that good stuff. Peace,Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchCompassion: It's just a choice
  
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on September 11, 2005 at 15:04:24 PT
A Day of Prayer
I have been praying. I'm praying for the victims that were neglected by our government. They are poor and mostly black and I am very angry. I hope that people see what my mind sees and stands up and does something. I mind politics because there are people that won't see what is going on because it could upset the party that is in power. That's one reason why politics really upset me. It's like the party is a god or something.
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Comment #9 posted by MikeEEEEE on September 11, 2005 at 14:57:51 PT
Off-topic: Theocracy Update
George Bush has declared Friday Sept. 17 as a national day of prayer for the victims of Katrina. Of which, many died from the lack of response from the same federal govt. he heads. There’s nothing like the PR games this white house plays, and they’re great at it (thanks Carl Rove). That is, he’s kissing the butts of the base (the religious right) and distracting the rest us of away from the incompetence.I think we should all take the advice. Let us pray the Congress and Senate come to their senses and impeach him, related to the Downing Street Memo. This could be like a preemptive strike, to prevent the next screw-up.The Bush approval rating is less than 40%.
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Comment #8 posted by MikeEEEEE on September 11, 2005 at 14:43:55 PT
Off-topic: religious quack
Take a religious quack (who says God told him to bomb Iraq) plus preventive nuclear strikes. You thought Katrina was bad?Notice the timing, on 9/11.Sunday, September 11, 2005, by Agence France Presse,
Draft US Defense Paper Outlines Preventive Nuclear Strikes  
A new draft US defense paper calls for preventive nuclear strikes against state and non-state adversaries in order to deter them from using weapons of mass destruction and urges US troops to "prepare to use nuclear weapons effectively."The document, titled "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations" and dated March 15, was put together by the Pentagon's Joint Staff in at attempt to adapt current procedures to the fast-changing world after the September 11, 2001, attacks, said a defense official. But the official, who spoke to AFP late Saturday on condition of anonymity, said it has not yet been signed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and thus has not been made official policy. "It's in the process of being considered," the official said.A copy of the draft obtained by AFP urges US theater force commanders operating around the world to prepare specific plans for using nuclear weapons in their regions -- and outlines scenarios, under which it would be justified to seek presidential approval for a nuclear strike. They include an adversary using or planning to use weapons of mass destruction against US or allied forces as well as civilian populations.Preventive nuclear strikes could also be employed to destroy a biological weapons arsenal belonging to an enemy, if there is no possibility to take it out with conventional weapons and it is determined the enemy is poised for a biological attack, according to the draft.They could also be seen as justified to destroy deep, hardened bunkers containing enemy chemical or biological weapons or the command and control infrastructure required to execute a chemical, biological or nuclear attack.However, a number of scenarios allow nuclear strikes without enemy weapons of mass destruction in the equation.They could be used, for instance, to counter potentially overwhelming conventional adversaries, to secure a rapid end of a war on US terms, or simply "to ensure success of US and multinational operations," the document indicates.In the context of the US-led "war on terror", the draft explicitly warns that any attempt by a hostile power to hand over weapons of mass destruction to militant groups to enable them to strike a devastating blow against the United States will likely trigger a US nuclear response against the culprit. Regional US commanders may request presidential approval to go nuclear "to respond to adversary-supplied WMD use by surrogates against US and multinational forces or civilian populations," the draft says.The doctrine also gives the Pentagon the green light to deploy nuclear weapons to parts of the world where their future use is considered the most likely and urges troops to constantly train for nuclear warfare."To maximize deterrence of WMD use, it is essential US forces prepare to use nuclear weapons effectively and that US forces are determined to employ nuclear weapons if necessary to prevent or retaliate against WMD use," the document states.The doctrine surfaced after the US Congress moved over the past several months to revive a controversial weapons research program aimed at enabling the US military to conduct precision nuclear strikes against hardened underground facilities.In separate measures, both the Senate and the House of Representatives approved four million dollars for fiscal 2006 to study the feasibility of the so-called Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, also known as the "bunker-buster" bomb, a program that was interrupted last year under intense international and domestic criticism.Moreover, under the 2002 Moscow Treaty, the United States will be able to retain up to 2,200 operationally deployed strategic nuclear warheads all the way through 2012.The doctrine reminds that while first use of nuclear weapons may draw condemnation, "no customary or conventional international law prohibits nations from employing nuclear weapons in armed conflict." 
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on September 11, 2005 at 12:58:43 PT:
Off Topic.
Just an interesting aside. In India the family doctor is 
on a retainer he is paid every month to keep the family
healthy. When someone gets sick the payments are suspended untill the patient is well again. 
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Comment #6 posted by runruff on September 11, 2005 at 12:30:25 PT:
Caught up in the thought bog.
I used to try to apply lodgic to the thinking of
the prohibitionist but there is none. Their only
thinking is budgets and public support. We know how they lie and tell half truths. They are protecting their domain.
So I wouldn't ask why when say the feds are lacking in common sence or logic. These things will never be in line
with their agenda.
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Comment #5 posted by charmed quark on September 11, 2005 at 09:51:12 PT
speaking of Emery 
What are medical users doing for seeds in states that allow medical cannabis? I've heard that most of the cannabis available in states like California is "commercial", chosen for its yield and THC content. Emery had a seed bank of seeds that had properties across the spectrum, making it more likely you could find something that would be optimal for your medical condition. 
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Comment #4 posted by cloud7 on September 11, 2005 at 07:47:19 PT
Forgot the link
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=f6cf1bdd-026a-4df5-93de-9f9e056e3ce1
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Comment #3 posted by cloud7 on September 11, 2005 at 07:46:50 PT
Vancouver Sun article on Emery
"Say what you will about Marc Emery, but in getting himself indicted on marijuana charges by a United States grand jury, the Prince of Pot might well achieve what he's failed to realize through decades of activism -- his life ambition of legalizing marijuana."
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on September 11, 2005 at 07:22:59 PT
Shine
AURORA ALERT:
http://www.spaceweather.com/A 9/11 aurora. May the light shine through the darkness.
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Comment #1 posted by charmed quark on September 11, 2005 at 07:04:00 PT
DEA should try this
You want to remove the "forbidden fruit" and "glamour" of a drug from the image teenagers have of it - get it assoicated with a bunch of sick and (to teenagers) old people. The government should be pushing medical marijuana to destroy the attractive image of cannabis.-CQ
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