Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2013
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2013 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Bob Young

WATCHDOG GROUP TO WEIGH EFFECT ON TEENS OF LEGALIZED POT FOR ADULTS

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy announced that a national group he
chairs is opening a Washington state chapter to watchdog the impact on
minors of legalizing marijuana for adults.

Speaking in front of eight adults and two teens at the Mercer Island
Community and Events Center, Kennedy said his group, Smart Approaches
to Marijuana, or SAM, is not now pushing for repeal of Washington's
voter-approved recreational pot law.

"I couldn't argue with adult recreational use. That's your business,"
Kennedy said. "But we need to understand the consequences of that right."

If implementation results in an increase in school-dropout rates or
driving fatalities, then, Kennedy said, he would be for repeal.
Research shows that moderate to heavy pot use in adolescents is
associated with stunted IQ later in life. This suggests pot can damage
the developing brain.

Wary of a Big Marijuana industry, sponsors of the new law earmarked
most of the tax revenues from recreational pot for health care,
education, abuse prevention and research into the new law's
consequences.

They have also pushed for restrictions on marijuana marketing and
advertising that might appeal to youth.

Kennedy's group is concerned about Washington's budding pot businesses
becoming like the alcohol and tobacco industries, which he said have
preyed on the young and addicted.

"Washington is on the brink of creating a massive marijuana industry
that will inevitably target teens and other vulnerable populations,"
said Kennedy, 45, who has made public his own struggles with alcohol
and drug abuse.

Kennedy said his group will monitor the state's rule-making process in
the next month to make sure strong safeguards against youth access
remain in place.

"We're trying to get implementation in a way that holds proponents of
the law to their promises," said the son of the late Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy.

Sponsors of Washington's law said they agreed with many of SAM's
points.

Roger Roffman, a University of Washington professor emeritus, said he
would not disagree that pot can be harmful to kids.

And Roffman, a marijuana-dependence researcher, said he understands
why some prevention advocates are alarmed.

Entrepreneur Jamen Shively has said he wants to become "Big Marijuana"
and "mint millionaires."

"People in the prevention field are horrified," Roffman said.
"Fortunately, Shively had no part in the construction, design and
promotion of (the law), and it is 180 degrees in intent from where
Shively wants to go."

Kennedy said it wasn't hypocritical for him to oppose legal marijuana
given his family's history in the liquor business.

"How many generations can I go back and say 'mea culpa' for? I can
only be responsible for my own actions," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt