Pubdate: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 Source: State Journal-Register (IL) Copyright: 2011 The State Journal-Register Contact: http://service.sj-r.com/forms/letters.asp Website: http://www.sj-r.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/425 Author: Kay Daniel MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL SENDS WRONG MESSAGE As a coalition of parents and concerned members of our community, the Menard County School and Community Task Force would like to alert you to the "medical marijuana" legislation. SB 1381, medical cannabis, if passed will send the wrong message to our young people and endanger them. Today, more teens are smoking marijuana than are smoking cigarettes, according to the 2010 Monitoring the Future Survey. The rise in use among eighth-, 10th- and 12-grade students corresponds to the favorable attitudes young people have toward the drug. More teens have the perception that marijuana is not harmful because they are being told it is a "medicine." Marijuana is addictive. Marijuana is very harmful, especially to adolescents whose brains are still developing. How many children do we want to put into treatment? Marijuana accounts for the most adolescent drug treatment admissions including alcohol. In Los Angeles, where medical marijuana is permitted, marijuana has surpassed alcohol as the major cause for treatment at public treatment centers and 60 percent of this group is under 18! State legislators don't seem concerned about Illinois' young people because they are considering another vote on "medical marijuana" after the bill was voted down two times in the last two months. "Medical marijuana" laws make marijuana more accessible to young people and send the wrong message. Please call your legislators and tell them to vote no on SB 1381, the medical cannabis bill. This is about Illinois youth. Kay Daniel President Menard County School and Community Task Force Petersburg - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake