Pubdate: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 Source: Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register (WV) Copyright: 2002 The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register Contact: http://www.intellnews.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1633 SAD TRUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA USE Advocates of legalizing the use of marijuana often use "medical" reasons as their wedge to drive loosening of narcotics laws. The city of Santa Cruz, Calif., is the latest to take the bait. This week the city held a "medical marijuana" rally featuring what are by now the usual suspects of such affairs: People complaining of "chronic pain" curable only by smoking a few marijuana cigarettes, as well as seriously ill people who naturally tug at heartstrings. Ironically, the left coast rally came on the same day as a bit of much-needed truth-telling about marijuana back in Washington. John Walters, the Bush administration's drug policy director, held a press conference to warn Baby Boomer parents that their perceptions of marijuana are dangerously out of date. Many well-meaning parents believe marijuana is not addictive, that it's less harmful than tobacco, and that it has few long-term health consequences. Those perceptions are exactly what drug pushers would like everyone to believe. The sad truth, Walters says, is that more teenagers are in rehabilitation centers for marijuana addiction than for all other alcohol and drug problems combined. So much for chuckling off Johnny's experiments with marijuana. Walters announced that a new anti-drug advertising campaign will focus on the hard facts about marijuana. Parents should pay close attention. For here's another uncomfortable fact: In a federal survey, one out of five eighth-graders reported having tried marijuana. If you think your child or grandchild isn't one of those, then you might want to ask. Their future depends on hearing the frank truth. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens