Legalization of marijuana- what about the kids?

[bimbi284]

huffpost.com/us/entry/6255728
THE BLOG
Legalization of Marijuana: What About the Kids?
Marsha Rosenbaum 12/02/14 12:58 PM ET
Last month Oregon, Alaska, and the District of Columbia joined Colorado and Washington as voters approved initiatives to legalize marijuana. Other states,including California, are likely to follow in 2016.

Voters passed these initiatives not as an endorsement of marijuana per se, but as an effort to undo the damage done by its criminalization: out-of-control youth access, massive numbers of arrests, and the crime, corruption and violence that comes with a multi-billion dollar illicit market. Tax revenues derived from sales, meanwhile, can provide local and state governments with badly needed funds for education and other critical services.

Today, the end of marijuana prohibition increasingly seems inevitable, with a majority of Americans favoring legalization, and three-fourths believing marijuana will eventually be legal nationwide.

While none of these new laws allow sales to minors, parents like me are understandably concerned about the potential impact of these reforms on teenagers.

Many worry that legalization might "send the wrong message," leading to an escalation in teenage use.

As a federally funded researcher, I regularly check survey data and am reassured by the annual Monitoring the Future survey of high school students' drug use, which found recently that a majority of teens say that even if marijuana was legal, they would not try it. Preliminary data from the post-legalization 2013 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey revealed that high school marijuana use in Colorado had actuallydecreased.

This has also been the case in states where medical marijuana is legal. Research published in prestigious journals such as the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Adolescent Health generally show no association between medical marijuana laws and rates of teenage marijuana use. In California, where such laws have been in place for 18 years and are perhaps most lenient, marijuana use among teens is less prevalent now than before medical marijuana was legalized, according to the recent California Student Survey.

Even if legalization for adults does not affect teenage use, it does present an opportunity to re-think our approach to drug abuse prevention and education -- both in school and at home.

Teenagers have used marijuana, along with alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and a host of other intoxicants, for decades. Parents and educators have consistently advocated abstinence, but despite our admonitions and advice, significant numbers of teenagers have continued to "experiment." Legalization presents just one more challenge, as marijuana becomes a normal part of the adult world, akin to alcohol.

It's time to get realistic -- to devise innovative, pragmatic strategies for dealing with teens, marijuana, alcohol, and other drug use in this new era.

That's why, in an effort to help navigate this new territory, I have updated Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs. Since its original publication in 1999, this 35-page resource has been distributed, in print and online to countless parents and educators, including PTAs, government agencies, and schools all over the world.

Schools have a unique opportunity to use legalization to enhance civics lessons, in real time, about the process by which laws are made and how and why they are changed. Surely this will capture students' attention. Drug education should provide honest, science-based information, rejecting the ineffective scare tactics that characterized now-outdated programs such as DARE. "Just Say Know" should be our mantra.

Abstinence, of course, would be the best choice for teenagers. My bottom line, however, as a parent, is safety -- and drug education that emphasizes personal responsibility, knowledge, common sense and moderation. Students must understand that legalization applies only to adults, and the legal and social consequences of marijuana use remain mostly unchanged for them until they reach the age of 21.

Parents should approach the "marijuana conversation" by learning all they can about the influences in their teen's life, from the internet and social media to music. They should read up on marijuana, using balanced, credible sources, rejecting any source that is completely one-sided. And parents need to listen, non-judgmentally, to what their teens have to say. Advice is most likely to be heard when it is requested, and threats of punishment can backfire.

Many parents today have direct experience with marijuana and are in a quandary about how much to reveal to their kids about their past or present use, fearing honest admissions might open the door to their teen's experimentation. In states where it's legal, some wonder whether it's appropriate to consume marijuana openly, modeling responsible behavior, as they would with alcohol.

As a mother myself, I know that there are no easy, simple answers to these questions. Ultimately, sound science, education, openness, loving communication, and most important, safety, should guide our approach to teens, marijuana, and other drug use -- whether these substances are legal for adults or not.

Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD, is a former National Institute on Drug Abuse researcher with extensive expertise about drug use, abuse and treatment. She is the author of numerous, books, scholarly articles, opinion pieces, and most recently, Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs.

This piece first appeared on the Drug Policy Alliance Blog:http://www.drugpolicy.org/blog/legalization-marijuana-what-about-kids

[ijack]

are there more alcoholics in Europe because they can drink at a younger age?

[hopecounts]

Dec 3, 2014 13:43:11 GMT -5 ijack said:

are there more alcoholics in Europe because they can drink at a younger age?

sarcasm font? 

(if not then no the studies actually show a lower number of alcolics) 

[lys]

MJ impact on the teen brain = not a good thing.

[ijack]

Dec 3, 2014 13:48:00 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Dec 3, 2014 13:43:11 GMT -5 ijack said:

are there more alcoholics in Europe because they can drink at a younger age?

sarcasm font? 

(if not then no the studies actually show a lower number of alcolics) 

yep

[jln]

Pot is accessible and has been, even before it became legal. The people that want to smoke will, whether legal or not.

[bimbi284]

Dec 3, 2014 13:48:49 GMT -5 lys said:

MJ impact on the teen brain = not a good thing.

Which is why it should be properly regulated and taxed, with comprehensive education about drugs provided to youth.

[nomad100]

Dec 3, 2014 13:56:34 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Dec 3, 2014 13:48:49 GMT -5 lys said:

MJ impact on the teen brain = not a good thing.

Which is why it should be properly regulated and taxed, with comprehensive education about drugs provided to youth.

Riiiiight.  Just like sex ed.  (and no I am not agreeing with lys)

I don't have a problem with legalizing MJ but to think that somehow any sort of comprehensive education is going to happen and then be allowed in schools and then make a difference?  Yeah, maybe it is my jadedness but I don't think it would ever happen.  

I can see the headlines now "Schools are teaching my children to do drugs!"  And the news reports "What exactly are our schools teaching our children about drugs!?!?! Story at 11."  

[jenny1223]

Dec 3, 2014 14:13:49 GMT -5 nomad100 said:

Dec 3, 2014 13:56:34 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Which is why it should be properly regulated and taxed, with comprehensive education about drugs provided to youth.

Riiiiight.  Just like sex ed.  (and no I am not agreeing with lys)

I don't have a problem with legalizing MJ but to think that somehow any sort of comprehensive education is going to happen and then be allowed in schools and then make a difference?  Yeah, maybe it is my jadedness but I don't think it would ever happen.  

I can see the headlines now "Schools are teaching my children to do drugs!"  And the news reports "What exactly are our schools teaching our children about drugs!?!?! Story at 11."  

What do you think about how schools & health classes talk about alcohol use?

I recall learning in health class that alcohol was for adults and how it affects the brain and that children/teenagers are more susceptible to those affects. (Not that that stopped me from drinking before I was 21, but I was responsible about it.)

[saz]

Dec 3, 2014 13:48:49 GMT -5 lys said:

MJ impact on the teen brain = not a good thing.

From the OP:
"Teenagers have used marijuana, along with alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and a host of other intoxicants, for decades. Parents and educators have consistently advocated abstinence, but despite our admonitions and advice, significant numbers of teenagers have continued to "experiment."....Abstinence, of course, would be the best choice for teenagers. My bottom line, however, as a parent, is safety -- and drug education that emphasizes personal responsibility, knowledge, common sense and moderation." 

[ttt]

Do they talk about cigarettes in health class? I see this as basically the same thing.

[wawa]

Dec 3, 2014 14:40:07 GMT -5 ttt said:

Do they talk about cigarettes in health class? I see this as basically the same thing.

They did in eastern PA in the 90's at least.   Over and over and over again.  And it  must have been effective because the vast majority of my peers and I have a knee jerk reaction that smoking cigarettes is fucking stupid.

When I find out people my age smoke it boggles my mind.  It's right up there with refusing to wear a seatbelt in terms of going against my childhood conditioning.

[ttt]

I don't know - I don't think we should be encouraging people to smoke pot or letting companies make tons of $$$ off it. It's still not very good for you. I just don't think people should be going to jail for having it. That's the difference between legalization and de criminalization.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2014 13:48:49 GMT -5 lys said:

MJ impact on the teen brain = not a good thing.

My guess is you have personal knowledge of this?

[wawa]

Dec 3, 2014 14:46:58 GMT -5 ttt said:

I don't know - I don't think we should be encouraging people to smoke pot or letting companies make tons of $$$ off it. It's still not very good for you. I just don't think people should be going to jail for having it. That's the difference between legalization and de criminalization.

But it's not as if people aren't already making tons of money off of it though. 

[heyjude]

This article sounds like it was written by the Phillip Morris of the Marijuana industry.

[bugandbibs]

I have never used recreational drugs and I never plan too even though MJ is legal in my state. I voted against even though I knew it would pass anyway.

However, I do think that regulating it (and taxing it) can help with use by minors. Yes, some minors will smoke pot anyway just like they drink underage. But, lots of them won't. Hopefully, there will be other parents like me who talk openly with there kids about the law and our expectations for following it.

When something is illegal no matter what doing it at 16 is the same risk as doing it at 25. I think it's easier to say (like with alcohol) no, not until you are 21.

[heyjude]

Big surprise. Drugpolicy.org is a pro marijuana outfit. Probably funded by Big Marijuana.

[zelda25]

I keep coming back to--how is this different than alcohol? How does it make sense that alcohol is legal, but not pot?

[heyjude]

Dec 3, 2014 14:58:31 GMT -5 zelda25 said:

I keep coming back to--how is this different than alcohol? How does it make sense that alcohol is legal, but not pot?

It's been awhile since I've been in school but is part of the school curriculum how to drink alcohol responsibly?

[nomad100]

Dec 3, 2014 14:20:15 GMT -5 jenny1223 said:

Dec 3, 2014 14:13:49 GMT -5 nomad100 said:

Riiiiight.  Just like sex ed.  (and no I am not agreeing with lys)

I don't have a problem with legalizing MJ but to think that somehow any sort of comprehensive education is going to happen and then be allowed in schools and then make a difference?  Yeah, maybe it is my jadedness but I don't think it would ever happen.  

I can see the headlines now "Schools are teaching my children to do drugs!"  And the news reports "What exactly are our schools teaching our children about drugs!?!?! Story at 11."  

What do you think about how schools & health classes talk about alcohol use?

I recall learning in health class that alcohol was for adults and how it affects the brain and that children/teenagers are more susceptible to those affects. (Not that that stopped me from drinking before I was 21, but I was responsible about it.)

In my area (which is admittedly very conservative) the only talk about drinking and drugs is that stupid DARE program (or something similar to it).  So I would be VERY surprised if anything was actually discussed about responsible use.  it is all drinking and drugs are bad!  "Health class" is just a few hours that is rolled into science class for a few hours one semester, not anything separate.

So I could definitely see headlines like that in my area.  Heck, a good number of the parents won't let their kids even get the basic sex talk, which doesn't cover much, but even that it too much for them.  I can only imagine how many would pull their kids over talk of responsible drug use.  

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2014 14:58:31 GMT -5 zelda25 said:

I keep coming back to--how is this different than alcohol? How does it make sense that alcohol is legal, but not pot?

This is always the downfall of pretty much any anti drug things. As far as I recall, a number of years ago the UK government asked some scientists to investigate drugs and list them by worst and most dangerous to safest. They hoped to use this to prop up their anti marijuana stance.
The top 3 were Heroin, Cocaine, Alcohol. Marijuana came in at like 30 or something, after Es, speed, mushrooms, LSD etc etc

I am pro legalisation of MJ, but I would like there to be the equivalent of a breathalizer or some sort of test to tell if someone is stoned BEFORE it becomes legal. Because it stays in your system for up to 6 weeks, even after just having one joint, there is no good way to find that out, and its important. Obviously you are only high for a few hours if that, not the 6 weeks. So a blood test is no good.

And it matters because you cant have stoned pilots, surgeons etc etc, just as you cant have drunk pilots or whatever. But right now, you cannot tell, and thats a problem.

[bimbi284]

Dec 3, 2014 14:55:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Big surprise. Drugpolicy.org is a pro marijuana outfit. Probably funded by Big Marijuana.

Yeah. That's Drug Policy Alliance. They are obviously pro marijuana legalization, but they don't directly make money off of it in the way you seem to think. They are pro legalization as a social justice and public health issue.

[bimbi284]

Dec 3, 2014 15:01:58 GMT -5 nomad100 said:

Dec 3, 2014 14:20:15 GMT -5 jenny1223 said:

What do you think about how schools & health classes talk about alcohol use?

I recall learning in health class that alcohol was for adults and how it affects the brain and that children/teenagers are more susceptible to those affects. (Not that that stopped me from drinking before I was 21, but I was responsible about it.)

In my area (which is admittedly very conservative) the only talk about drinking and drugs is that stupid DARE program (or something similar to it).  So I would be VERY surprised if anything was actually discussed about responsible use.  it is all drinking and drugs are bad!  "Health class" is just a few hours that is rolled into science class for a few hours one semester, not anything separate.

So I could definitely see headlines like that in my area.  Heck, a good number of the parents won't let their kids even get the basic sex talk, which doesn't cover much, but even that it too much for them.  I can only imagine how many would pull their kids over talk of responsible drug use.  

Exactly, but just because people are against it doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. I think most of us can agree that comprehensive sex Ed is important so youth know the risks and consequences associated with having sex because THEY ARE HAVING SEX. The same goes for drugs. Youth should know the risks and consequences and harm reduction practices (akin to using condoms) because they ARE already using drugs.

[heyjude]

Dec 3, 2014 15:13:19 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Dec 3, 2014 14:55:24 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Big surprise. Drugpolicy.org is a pro marijuana outfit. Probably funded by Big Marijuana.

Yeah. That's Drug Policy Alliance. They are obviously pro marijuana legalization, but they don't directly make money off of it in the way you seem to think. They are pro legalization as a social justice and public health issue.

No. I don't think they make money off this. I just think they are funded by Big Marijuana and/or created by those same special interests. In the same way that many big industries, such as tobacco, chemicals, etc create these nonprofits to spread their messages.

[bimbi284]

Dec 3, 2014 15:18:12 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Dec 3, 2014 15:13:19 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Yeah. That's Drug Policy Alliance. They are obviously pro marijuana legalization, but they don't directly make money off of it in the way you seem to think. They are pro legalization as a social justice and public health issue.

No. I don't think they make money off this. I just think they are funded by Big Marijuana and/or created by those same special interests. In the same way that many big industries, such as tobacco, chemicals, etc create these nonprofits to spread their messages.

I can tell you that they aren't funded by "Big Marijuana" as far as I know. DPA supports grassroots efforts and is supporting people inegatively mpacted by the drug war. If anything, they do not agree with the practices of big marijuana.

[heyjude]

Sorry. I believe in legalization with regulation. But having grown up in an area in love with MJ cultivation, I'm so incredibly skeptical of marijuana as a business. It is as big money, capitalistic, scorched earth mentality as only American capitalism can produce. And it will get even more so as more states legalize it. So I feel very distrustful of any nonprofit that argues we should be normalizing marijuana in the school system and with kids. Future consumers in the making.

[zelda25]

Dec 3, 2014 15:28:42 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Sorry. I believe in legalization with regulation. But having grown up in an area in love with MJ cultivation, I'm so incredibly skeptical of marijuana as a business. It is as big money, capitalistic, scorched earth mentality as only American capitalism can produce. And it will get even more so as more states legalize it. So I feel very distrustful of any nonprofit that argues we should be normalizing marijuana in the school system and with kids. Future consumers in the making.

My H feels exactly the same. As for school curriculum on alcohol, if you weren't TIC, I'm even older than you so I don't know. I vaguely remember a lot of stuff in health class about the negative effects. Which I ignored m

Sent from the infernal device.

[heyjude]

Dec 3, 2014 15:34:35 GMT -5 zelda25 said:

Dec 3, 2014 15:28:42 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Sorry. I believe in legalization with regulation. But having grown up in an area in love with MJ cultivation, I'm so incredibly skeptical of marijuana as a business. It is as big money, capitalistic, scorched earth mentality as only American capitalism can produce. And it will get even more so as more states legalize it. So I feel very distrustful of any nonprofit that argues we should be normalizing marijuana in the school system and with kids. Future consumers in the making.

My H feels exactly the same. As for school curriculum on alcohol, if you weren't TIC, I'm even older than you so I don't know. I vaguely remember a lot of stuff in health class about the negative effects. Which I ignored m

Sent from the infernal device.

The environmental degradation going on in high MJ producing areas is astounding. It's enough for me to question legalization of marijuana as a whole. So maybe humans aren't terribly harmed? Or alcohol is worse? Okay. Accepted. But the harm to the environment is just phenomenal. In the end whether it's legal or not, cultivation will continue. So might as well legalize it and regulate the hell out of the industry. I suppose.

[zelda25]

Dec 3, 2014 15:43:44 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Dec 3, 2014 15:34:35 GMT -5 zelda25 said:

My H feels exactly the same. As for school curriculum on alcohol, if you weren't TIC, I'm even older than you so I don't know. I vaguely remember a lot of stuff in health class about the negative effects. Which I ignored m

Sent from the infernal device.

The environmental degradation going on in high MJ producing areas is astounding. It's enough for me to question legalization of marijuana as a whole. So maybe humans aren't terribly harmed? Or alcohol is worse? Okay. Accepted. But the harm to the environment is just phenomenal. In the end whether it's legal or not, cultivation will continue. So might as well legalize it and regulate the hell out of the industry. I suppose.

Agreed. I am very curious about what will happen here in Oregon since the state passed legalization (which doesn't take effect until next summer). Cultivation isn't something I've thought much about, although there are several counties in the state in which sheriff departments spend an inordinate amount of time and resources battling illegal grow operations, so it will be interesting to see what happens there. Also, we've had legal medical mj for some time and I can't spit in my neighborhood without hitting five dispensaries--I'm curious to see what happens to those, as well.