LETTER: Medical Marijuana Tied To Teen Drug Use
Reader calls on parents to talk to their kids about drugs at a young age.
To The Editor:
Last week, through the combined efforts of the Tewksbury Police, the Tewksbury Board of Health, the Tewksbury Schools, Tewksbury CARES, and many other local organizations, we held our first annual Tewksbury Drug Awareness Week. Right now parents and kids have a special opportunity to talk with each other about drugs.
Knowing the facts is important. Tewksbury CARES, a community coalition dedicated to promoting drug awareness, is focusing here on providing some facts to the parents and children of Tewksbury about the use of marijuana.
It is well known that marijuana is the most widely abused illegal drug among teens, and that more teens now smoke marijuana than tobacco. Marijuana has many adverse health and safety risks – more than people are aware. Here are the facts:
• Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.
• Marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims. Just like drinking and driving, drugged driving is a very serious issue that can have tragic outcomes.
• Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco smoke, contributing to the risk of cancer of the lungs, mouth and tongue.
• In the past 15 years, the potency of Marijuana (THC content) has more than tripled from 3% to more than 11%.
• Approximately 9% (1 in 11) marijuana users become dependent. The earlier young people start using marijuana the more likely they are to be dependent later in life.
• Nation-wide, 6.6% of high school seniors smoke marijuana every day, rendering them unemployable in companies that use routine employee drug screening.
• Rates of teen marijuana use in Massachusetts are 30% higher than the average for the nation.
• Teens that smoke marijuana regularly demonstrate up to an 8-point IQ drop in early adulthood, compared to teens that do not smoke.
In Massachusetts more kids are admitted to treatment for marijuana use than all illegal drugs combined. This startling fact bears repeating. More kids in Massachusetts are admitted to treatment for marijuana use than all illegal drugs combined.
A study published this August by the University of Colorado, a state with legalized medical marijuana, demonstrates that nearly three-quarters of teens in the treatment programs studied, said they have used medical marijuana bought or grown for someone else, meaning “medical” marijuana is indeed being diverted to youth.
Again, parents and children have a chance right now to talk about the facts. An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure. Help prevent teen marijuana use. Talk with your kids.
Christine Kinnon
Tewksbury CARES
Tewksbury Board of Health
Brad
6:54 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
“Teens that smoke marijuana regularly demonstrate up to an 8-point IQ drop in early adulthood, compared to teens that do not smoke.” This is NOT about teens, what it is about is adults and keeping teens away from it. By your own admission prohibition has FAILED.
“In Massachusetts more kids are admitted to treatment for marijuana use than all illegal drugs combined. This startling fact bears repeating. More kids in Massachusetts are admitted to treatment for marijuana use than all illegal drugs combined.” How many of the teens in for “treatment” are there via drug courts. Let’s do some simple math, choose one; treatment or a criminal record.
“A study published this August by the University of Colorado, a state with legalized medical marijuana, demonstrates that nearly three-quarters of teens in the treatment programs studied, said they have used medical marijuana bought or grown for someone else, meaning “medical” marijuana is indeed being diverted to youth.” The CDC YRBSS study has shown in states with dispensary models in place teen use has declined; in Colorado teen use is 9% lower than the national average. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/alcoholdrug/.
This was like fishing in a barrel with dynamite ;)
Kevin_Hunt
11:58 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"We replicated previously published results showing higher marijuana use in states with MMLs. Difference-in-differences estimates suggested that passing MMLs decreased past-month use among adolescents by 0.53 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-1.02) and had no discernible effect on the perceived riskiness of monthly use. Models incorporating measurement error in the state estimates of marijuana use yielded little evidence that passing MMLs affects marijuana use. [Ann Epidemiol. 2012 Mar;22(3):207-12.
trish
2:27 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
You say this is NOT about the teens. YES it is. it is their choice to try it or not. Half of parents in Tewksbury do not even know their child is smoking. I bet if we tested a few kids around town and they came up positive and then ask the parents, the parents would say not my child. Kids get away with alot around this town. I see it all the time. go sit at Market Basket or Galloways parking lot. I also believe the schools should drug test if a child wants to join a sports team. I bet you would see alot of kids FAIL drug testing and be off a team pretty quick.
Kevin_Hunt
2:48 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"I bet you would see alot of kids FAIL drug testing and be off a team pretty quick."
And what would you do with those kids that are kicked off the team? Would they wind up hanging out at Market Basket or Galloways parking lot?
The old saying that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" is still relevant. Kids need something to do to keep them busy, and out of trouble.
Sports and music are two things that help keep them occupied. Buy 'em a drum set if they can't catch a football.
TewksParent
4:22 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I agree. Plus, when I was in high school, our garage band sounded 100% better when we were stoned.
Kevin_Hunt
7:27 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"Plus, when I was in high school, our garage band sounded 100% better when we were stoned."
Riff: A C D A C Eb A C D C A
Smooooookkkeee on the waaaaaatttterrrr
Fire in the Sky!
Riff: A C D A C Eb A C D C A
trish
10:12 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
WOW. really. so your sayin its ok for the kids who are smoking pot to play on the football team, basketball team or any other team sports because it keeps them busy. Please. sounds like you are ok with your child doing drugs as long as he or she is busy.BTW there is plenty for kids to do to keep busy and stay out of trouble. thats the problem with parents they dont care.
Kevin_Hunt
11:13 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"so your sayin its ok for the kids who are smoking pot to play on the football team, basketball team or any other team sports"
No, I'm not saying that its OK for kids to use marijuana. I'm saying that if you kick them off the team without giving them a chance to clean up their act, they probably will lose interest in doing things like sports that boost their self esteem and keep them from hanging out in parking lots all day.
It's obvious that too many people rely on government marijuana prohibition to "protect their kids" when all it does is empower gangs and cartels to sell to kids and tempt kids with big money selling weed. How many kids are on the streets selling bathtub gin nowadays?
When the kids get a little older and get caught with marijuana, the govt takes away their ability to get student loans. How is this helping them stay on the right track?
Clinton, Bush, and Obama were lucky enough to not get caught and they managed to amount to something, but only because they were able to stay out of jail and go to college. Of course, Bush enjoyed a distinct advantage because his daddy was head of the CIA and had a knack for "covering things up".
Oliver North's diary: entry for August 9, 1985, "Honduran DC-6 which is being used for runs out of New Orleans is probably being used for drug runs into U.S."
Brad
6:55 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
“Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco smoke, contributing to the risk of cancer of the lungs, mouth and tongue.” This one’s a laugher as there is NO LEAD-210 in cannabis smoke, unlike tobacco smoke. See point one and then ask; “where are the bodies?” In fact federal funded studies (Tashkin, et al. for instance) have demonstrated not only does it not cause cancer, it may in fact provide a protective effect.
“In the past 15 years, the potency of Marijuana (THC content) has more than tripled from 3% to more than 11%.” Red Herring, Dronabinol, marketed under the brand name Marinol is 100% THC and a schedule III substance; try again.
Approximately 9% (1 in 11) marijuana users become dependent. The earlier young people start using marijuana the more likely they are to be dependent later in life. “Alcohol addiction rate is ~16% and tobacco addiction rate is >35% of first time users.
“Nation-wide, 6.6% of high school seniors smoke marijuana every day, rendering them unemployable in companies that use routine employee drug screening. Again, how is prohibition working?
“Rates of teen marijuana use in Massachusetts are 30% higher than the average for the nation.” Again, how is prohibition working?
Kevin_Hunt
11:59 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
A new study finds there is no evidence that legalization of medical marijuana increases teen drug use. "There is anecdotal evidence that medical marijuana is finding its way into the hands of teenagers, but there's no statistical evidence that legalization increases the probability of use," Daniel I. Rees, a professor of economics at the University of Colorado Denver, said in a written statement.
Source: "Medical Marijuana Laws and Teen Marijuana Use" Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) http://www.iza.org/en/webcontent/publications/papers/viewAbstract?dp_id=6592.
Brad
6:55 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
“Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.” So how is prohibition working again?
“Marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims. Just like drinking and driving, drugged driving is a very serious issue that can have tragic outcomes.” What they fail to mention is THC-COOH can be detected up to ~30 days and is an inert metabolite. What is also not mentioned is whether the person testing “positive” was at fault; they were JUST INVOLVED in an accident.
Kevin_Hunt
12:43 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
If you want to shut up a prohibitionist, ask them for conclusive evidence that marijuana causes a statistically significant increase in auto fatalities.
Ask them to show you a peer-reviewed study based on U.S. statistics that show 1) Marijuana was the only drug involved 2) The Delta-9 THC concentration in the driver's blood was determined at the time of the accident and 3) unsafe driving preceded the accident.
Brad
5:42 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
No Kevin, I want them to keep talking. The more they spew the dumber they sound, thus it makes our job of getting the truth out easier.
Kevin_Hunt
11:17 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
"No Kevin, I want them to keep talking."
You are right Brad, but seriously: No one seems to have this "proof" that we have a "stoned driving epidemic"
Gustavo Picciuto
7:51 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"...More kids in Massachusetts are admitted to treatment for marijuana use than all illegal drugs combined. .."
More than 3/4 of all kids that go to treatment for Marijuana is because of court order; they obviously much rather go to treatment than do time or pay a fine. Every 30 seconds someone gets arrested for Marijuana possession so of course you're going to have so many people in treatment for Marijuana; with all our jails filled up already with non-violent offenders the courts have no choice but to offer treatment. No one is advocating Marijuana use by kids; developing minds should not use Marijuana, but we should be advocating legalization so we can have control over the drug not criminals and cartels which makes for easier access to our youth.
Justa Plant
9:28 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
The comments are much more enlightening than the propaganda-ish letter is.
beatrice
9:47 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
As the grandparent of a pot head that started smoking at 15 and is now 33 and cannot get through a day without it, I say phooey to you. He is a perfect example of a person that has killed his brain cells with pot. He is a useless human being and I try not to be on the road when he is out. Just saying..........
Kevin_Hunt
11:52 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Marijuana is non-toxic and does not kill brain cells. Did your grandchild obtain marijuana illegally? Why didn't marijuana prohibition keep them from getting their hands on it? Is it because prohibition is not regulation and does not reduce supply or demand?
If this person has been using marijuana every day for almost 20 years, why haven't they died from an overdose of it yet?
Mike Parent
12:38 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Maybe his shortcomings are genetic because marijuana doesn't kill brain cells..
Tara Saulnier
11:17 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Addiction is a family disease passed down through generations by learned traits. Reading your post I see you think it's perfectly acceptable to shame and blame your grandson publicly, which leads me to believe you would have no qualms with doing it behind closed doors. There is nothing worse for an addict than family who feel so entitled that they will judge, blame and tear down their already battered self-esteem. I suggest you attend a few al-anon or ACA meetings so that you learn the skills to control your controlling, shaming behaviors and help your grandson towards recovery rather than hold him there by putting him down. He's your grandson for Christ's sake... love him! No grandmother should talk that way of her grandson. It's just not right!
TomH
9:59 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I knew that there was a real drug problem among todays youth. These statistics are even more alarming than I realized.
People want to make weed even more available? Just look how more widespread pot use is in California, and how easily the laws are circumvented.
Kevin_Hunt
11:56 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
"how easily the laws are circumvented." We have 34 states where marijuana is illegal for all purposes, and no one has any trouble getting it, according to your "statistics". Doesn't that mean that the prohibition laws are "easily circumvented" in the 34 non-medical marijuana states?
The fact that people in California are willing to go to a doctor and sign up for a registry so they can be legal is proof that marijuana users don't want be criminals, despite the fact that you view them as such.
During alcohol prohibition , many citizens got "medicinal liquor prescriptions", which is proof that prohibition is a farce.
Tara Saulnier
11:29 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Um, you just believed all of those statistics from an obvious biased source with no research facts or documents supporting it at all. That scares me a lot more than these statistics. Mainly because I researched them and I know most are in fact wrong/skewed to make them look worse because these people WANT you to just believe them like you just did and vote no. Congrats Tom... you are a sheep. Ba for us (then go get yourself informed)
Kevin_Hunt
11:57 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Researchers compared teens in Rhode Island, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2006, with adolescents in Massachusetts, which doesn't allow medical marijuana sales. The analysis included 32,570 teens who completed surveys on drug use between 1997 and 2009. The study showed no statistically significant differences regarding marijuana use between the two states in any year. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/02/news/la-heb-teens-marijuana-20111102
Jillian Galloway
12:01 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I keep hearing about this "legalizing marijuana for recreational use" thing, but what it appears to really be is an attempt to legalize marijuana as a far safer alternative to alcohol.
According to the CDC, alcohol kills 80,000 people every year in the U.S. while marijuana kills none, and marijuana's addiction potential is only about that of coffee. Since marijuana is far safer and far less addictive than alcohol, we could GREATLY reduce the amount of harm and addiction in society by giving people the right to switch from the more harmful drug, alcohol, to the less harmful drug, marijuana.
Right now, paranoid old men are keeping marijuana illegal and making our children LESS safe. It's time to put our children first and get marijuana OFF the street in exactly the same way that we got alcohol off the street seventy years ago. Drug Dealers Don't Card, Supermarkets Do!
Tara Saulnier
11:30 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Well said!
Dirk Anderson
12:07 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
We have fought a war on drugs for decades. We lost.
The statistics quoted above (the accuracy of which I question) is never the less hardly a good arguement for keeping the status quo. We have completely failed in keeping marijuana out of the hands of teenagers. This is nothing new, even when I was a teen and Nancy was telling us to "Just Say No", anyone could get it easily enough. I agree with Jillian, dealers will sell to anyone with cash. Legal vendors would be terrified of losing a license.
Mike Parent
12:08 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
If it weren't for propaganda and outright lies, Prohibitionists would be mutes. Here are some cited, SCIENTIFIC FACTS. Refute them if you can.
Lie #1 Marijuana is a Gateway Drug.
Marijuana is NOT a Gateway Drug. Here's a 12 Yr Univ Study that says so;.
Andrew Hryckowian - University of Pittsburgh.
www.pitt.edu/~ugr/Hrych2.pdf
Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Raven-... Marijuana is not a.
“gateway” drug.
Lie #2 Marijuana is addictive.
Marijuana is no more addictive or and less harmful than Caffeine;.
Dr Henningfield is a former NIDA Staffer;.
Addictiveness of Marijuana - ProCon.org.
www.procon.org/view.background...
urce.php? resourceID=1492
In April 1997, after reviewing the literature, Dr. Henningfield changed
his ratings of marijuana and caffeine's tolerance and dependence to 5's.
and 6's.
Lie #'s 3 & 4, Marijuana has not Medicinal Use and is Dangerous.
AND, In 1988, a DEA Administrative judge wrote, in a report.
Commissioned by the DEA; "16. Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of.
the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any
measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a.
supervised routine of medical care."
http://www.ccguide.org/young88...”
For good measure, Med Marijuana doesn't increase teen use.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57456999-10391704/medical-marijua...
wont-boost-teen-pot-use-study-finds/
Ted Wright
8:09 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
Ya, what he said... Great job Mike!
TomH
12:42 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
...so do all of the posters here feel that we should just collecftively throw our hands in the air and accept the rampant drug use among our youth?
Where's the responsibility here?
Kevin, weed isnt legal 'for all purposes' ANYWHERE. Its legal in some places for so called medical use...wink wink, nudge nudge.
Kevin_Hunt
12:52 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
."..so do all of the posters here feel that we should just collecftively throw our hands in the air and accept the rampant drug use among our youth?"
No, we should regulate it and tax it because prohibition hasn't stopped kids from using it according to you. Sell it in stores that check ID's. Put the illegal dealers out of business.
Why did we repeal alcohol prohibition, Tom?
"Kevin, weed isnt legal 'for all purposes' ANYWHERE. Not in the U.S.
Where did I say that weed was "legal for all purposes"?
Regarding "weed being legal for all purposes", we will see what happens after Nov 6th. You are aware that the legalization bill in WA will probably pass, and the one in CO has a slim chance, right?
" .wink wink, nudge nudge." I don't speak sign language.
"Its legal in some places for so called medical use"
As well it should be since no one has ever died from an overdose of marijuana or adverse reaction to it. What other drug can claim that safety record?
The American Medical Association has reported that "Results of short term controlled trials indicate that smoked cannabis reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass,and may relieve spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis." Source: REPORT 3 OF THE COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH (I-09) Use of Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes (Resolutions 910, I-08;921, I-08;and 229, A-09) (Reference Committee K)
Greg
1:19 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tom all of these posters except for yourself see the failure of prohibition and the drug war which you have obviously embraced as your savior .. the facts are it is a failure .. if we regulated it and took it out of the hands of dealers people would not be introduced to harder drugs .. fact .. do think your corner drug dealer simply sells marijuana ! This person sells all illicit drugs .. whatever he makes a profit from ... its called diversification . The fact is marijuana is less harmful than tobacco .. alcohol and prescription meds and less addictive than that morning coffee you probably enjoy .. and no one .. in the history of marijuana use has overdosed using it .. its simply impossible .. you should look at the parenting of your family member and stop using marijuana as your excuse .
malcolm nichols
4:21 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I bet the police are tracking who comments on the article. Perhaps they have a vested interest.
Kevin_Hunt
7:24 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I'm right here somewhere on the internet, coppers. Come bust me for 1st amendment violations. Ha Ha Ha
Tara Saulnier
11:32 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
for what our $100 ticket? they have better things to do!
JSnr
9:34 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Get the facts on Question 3
www.MaVoteNoOnQuestion3.com
Kevin_Hunt
9:48 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
The correct address is:
http://votenoonquestion3.org
Tara Saulnier
11:37 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
These are not facts! These people use disgustingly skewed biased data to serve their cause. One of their reasons was "because informed people vote no"... yes they actually took the debate down to "iffn u vote yes ur stoopid". They recently accused all supporters of BQ3 of being AGAINST children and looking to "hook them when they're young". IMO there should be laws against people who are SUPPOSED to provide valid information and facts to voters and decide instead to fill a web page with lies, propaganda and personal insults at voters (voter intimidation?). They are SOOOOO part of the problem!! They also will not defend any of their points and only block and delete comments questioning them. If you cannot debate your points you do not have an argument.
Greg
10:33 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Your absolutely rite Kevin .. the correct website that depicts the truth about marijuana usage is at http://votenoonquestion3.org ..
Jeff
10:58 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Don't read WickedLocal, they take down anything pro question 3, and post anti question 3 propaganda and then prohibit comments.
Joey Ismail
12:56 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
Marijuana should be legal, if you disagree you're too stupid to be stalking anyway. This isn't one of those issues with two sides to it. Advil kills 800 people a year and its legal. Marijuana kills zero, debate over.
Ted Wright
8:00 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
•If cannabis were legal, it would no longer be the most commonly used illicit drug!
•Typically, they don't test for any drug use when alcohol is found to be present.
•Cannabis smokers don't have anywhere near the volume of contact with smoke that a tobacco smoker does. Smoking any plant material is inherently risky.
•THC content has always been a variable. Because of the crack down at the border, we no longer have a prevalence of cheap, poor quality, paraquat sprayed cannabis coming into the country.
•Approximately 9% (1 in 10) caffeine users become dependent. The earlier young people start using caffeine the more likely they are to be dependent later in life. Tobacco - 32%; heroin - 27%; alcohol - 15%
•Cannabis is more readily available to high school students. Dealers don't ask for ID. Tobacco use declined rapidly among young users when we started to card buyers.
•According to the CDC data, cannabis use has dropped in Colorado since they legalized its use for medicinal purposes.
•Treatment program data is skewed by the fact that cannabis is illegal. When arrested and brought before a Judge a child is given a choice between jail and treatment. If caught with alcohol, that same child is likely to be released. However, alcohol has consistently proven to be a far more devastating substance of abuse...
We don't control cannabis yet we complain about its (ab)use. Obviously the war against it has failed yet we spend BILLIONS every year trying to eradicate it!!
Ted Wright
8:05 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
Correction: •According to the CDC data, cannabis TEEN use has dropped in Colorado since they legalized its use for medicinal purposes.
Kevin_Hunt
11:14 am on Friday, October 26, 2012
"If cannabis were legal, it would no longer be the most commonly used illicit drug!"
That was brilliant, Ted! I am stealing that one from you.
You are correct about teen use dropping in Colorado, which has more dispensaries than Starbucks.
"Marijuana Usage Down Among Colorado Teens, Up Nationally: Study Shows"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/07/marijuana-usage-down-in-t_n_1865095.html