In his recent New York Times "Invitation to Dialogue," David Evans's position on medical marijuana is absolutely sound. Marijuana is an addictive drug and should be subject to the same scientific approval process as any other medicine.
First, we must remember that marijuana wreaks havoc on our youth. At Phoenix House, the drug is a problem for nearly all the teens we treat; about 76 percent of our adolescent admissions list marijuana as their primary drug of choice. Our experience mirrors national trends, according to the latest SAMHSA data. Far too many young people are in treatment because marijuana has had serious negative consequences in their lives, making it impossible for them to succeed in school, ruining their relationships with their families, and often, leading them to try even more harmful drugs when they seek an even greater high.
We cannot ignore the connection between state legalization of medical marijuana and the nationwide rise in teen marijuana use. When we sanction a drug -- regardless of whether we term it "medical" -- it follows that more people will use it. Legalization increases access and feeds into a perception that the drug is harmless. Thus, the latest Monitoring the Future data is disturbing, but not surprising. Of the 47,000 teens surveyed across the country, 1 in 4 said they used marijuana during the last year, up from 21.4% percent in 2007. One in 15 of the oldest high school students polled said they used the drug daily or almost daily, the highest rate in three decades. Notably, the survey also found that teens do not believe marijuana is dangerous.
If marijuana legalization is left to the political agendas of the states and not to the FDA, adolescent marijuana use and addiction will undoubtedly continue to rise. Considering these societal consequences of legalization -- not to mention the economic burden of regulating the drug, treating new problematic users, and dealing with increased drugged driving--the costs far outweigh the potential benefits. Above all, our priority must be to protect vulnerable young people and to avoid policies that put them at even greater risk.
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How can I be rehabilitated? My willpower is weak.
How many kids at Phoenix house were in messed up families BEFORE they started using marijuana?
Medicalization of cannabis will curb supply yet increase demand (the cartel crunch is on) The greed game begins as the war on drugs slows due to researched facts.
It's the same with marijuana, and I don't understand why more people can't see it, especially since virtually every study has shown that alcohol is far more dangerous drug from virtually every standpoint than pot.
The original Prohibition gave us organized crime. The ban on marijuana has given us drug wars in Mexico.
Legalize it. Tax it. Bring back hemp as a commercial crop (and an ideal biofuel). It's not only about time. It's way past time.
I am reminded of the judges in Pennsylvania who got caught taking kickbacks from youth prisons -- bonuses for sentencing teens to unnecessary and ridiculously long terms.
His drug program MUST condemn any use of anything to keep afloat and we have heard this same claptrap since the days of Straight Inc. and their abusive " treatments", which are models for most of these all or nothing approaches to getting people to recognize their deep seated issues.
Most people drank milk before they drank beer...so that means milk is a gateway drug...right? insane. If cannabis were legalized these shills would no longer have a convenient scapegoat to use as reasons for people to go to excess...a few good therapists could do more than any drug program there is..but normally it is reformed and rabid drunks and drug addicts who work at these places, afraid that any thing other than pharmaceuticals will cause relapse and trouble...cannabis is safe and effective, which the profiteers will never admit.
No facts, no science, just scare tactics and lies..thats Phoeniox and other programs mantra...pathetic.
Want to talk about the real "gateway drugs"? Let's start with tobacco and alcohol. Then we can graduate to all those tasty pharmaceuticals in Mom's and Dad's medicine cabinet. We are a society of pills and quick fixes, but heaven forbid anyone has a preferred drug, especially if the government can't make money on it.
For some people pot is adictive but then if not for pot they would be addicted to something else like alcohol or prescription drugs.
I've known plenty of people that smoked weed back in the day and gave it up as they got into the work force, bought homes and started a family.
this 40 year "drug war" has yelded no real results, it's "high" time we stopped throwing good money after bad into this war on drugs and put that money where it belongs, in education.