Pubdate: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2003 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Canadian Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) TEENS OPT FOR MARIJUANA OVER TOBACCO OTTAWA -- Canadian teens are more likely to smoke marijuana than tobacco, a national survey says. A poll of 1,250 12-to-19-year-olds suggests that getting high is once again "mainstream," says a Health Canada representative. The results suggest that is the greatest cannabis use among young people in the last 25 years. Health Canada gave a preliminary report of its findings last week to a House of Commons committee holding hearings on a bill that would decriminalize marijuana, but stiffen penalties against grow operations. "Research we have conducted on 12-to 19-year-olds shows us that marijuana has gone mainstream and is well integrated into teen lifestyle," reported Linda Dabros, a special adviser to Health Canada's director general of drug strategy. Fifty-four per cent of 15-to 19-year-olds said they had smoked marijuana more than once. When 12-to 14-year-olds were added to the mix, however, the overall numbers dropped to 34 per cent. Cigarette smoking, on the other hand, continues to decline among young people, with the latest national figures showing that 22 per cent of teens light up regularly. "Teen marijuana smokers appear to be imitating their baby-boom parents," said Richard Garlick, a spokesman for the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse. "Youth rates are going up and are at levels that we haven't seen since the late '70s when rates reached their peak." The survey is one of the first that the federal government has done in a decade to measure the extent of Canada's drug problem. The Health Department intends to use the data for an anti-marijuana campaign that is being developed to prevent teens from smoking their first joint. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin