Pubdate: Fri, 24 Jan 2014
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
Copyright: 2014 Renee M. Heney, Nancy Bengtson, Jim Meyer
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/qFJNhZNm
Website: http://www.stltoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/418
Authors: Renee M. Heney, Nancy Bengtson, Jim Meyer

PRESIDENT WAS WRONG TO MINIMIZE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA

Regarding President Obama's comments to The New Yorker magazine on the
legalization of marijuana, we would like to respond to his
characterization of marijuana use, as expressed to his daughters. With
all due respect to Mr. Obama's choice of words, a "bad idea" is
wearing navy socks with black pants; a "waste of time" is watching a
full season of Seinfeld reruns for the sixth time instead of studying
for a chemistry final; and "not very healthy" is choosing french fries
over mixed vegetables. While Mr. Obama is entitled to share his
personal opinions, we feel a responsibility to share scientific facts.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Drug Policy
Institute and other reputable sources, today's marijuana is typically
10 times more potent than marijuana used in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.
Long-term marijuana use among those who begin at a young age leads to
an addiction rate of one in six users. Heavy teen use of marijuana can
cause a permanent drop in IQ by as much as eight points. Teens who
smoked marijuana daily for about three years performed poorly on tests
of working memory and demonstrated changes in brain structure similar
to schizophrenia. Marijuana impacts concentration, coordination and
perception required for safe driving.

We know a lot more about marijuana (and alcohol and tobacco) today
than we did a generation ago. Scientific data proves the likelihood
and impact of substance abuse addiction, and fully explains why drugs
are risky to minors. Making marijuana more readily available to
American youth, while lessening their perception of harm, is a
dangerous proposition.

To those who support marijuana legalization based upon opinions and
anecdotal stories perpetuated by media today, we urge you to become
educated on the facts. To the president, who is a role model for youth
but seems to have downplayed the dangers of marijuana, we say, "now
that was a really bad idea."

Renee M. Heney   Eureka

Director, Rockwood Drug-Free Coalition

Nancy Bengtson and Jim Meyer

Co-chairmen 
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