Pubdate: Wed, 05 Feb 2014
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2014 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
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Author: Alex Berezow
Note: Alex Berezow, Real Clear Science editor and USA TODAY contributors
board member, is coauthor of Science Left Behind.

OBAMA MUST TAKE A HIT FOR POT TALK

Heroin Abuse Spike Shows The Danger Of Fighting And Talking About
Drugs Without Enough Thought

The apparent heroin overdose death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman,
who first used drugs decades ago, is a reminder of just how difficult
it is to get a handle on drug abuse and the youth culture that enables
it. One reason for the surge in heroin use over the past five years is
a crackdown on the abuse of prescription opiate painkillers. Addicts
might simply be substituting one drug for a related one.

That blowback is an important reason why we should be careful about
drug policy and even what top officials say about it. Perhaps that can
best be explained using another of the three traditional cornerstones
of youth culture: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.

On Jan. 26, 1998, President Clinton looked America in the eye and
said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." That fib
kick-started an odyssey in which our country debated things such as
the meaning of the word "is" and whether oral sex is actually sex.

'CLINTON-LEWINSKY EFFECT'

Sure, the tragicomic spectacle was entertaining. But the Lewinsky
affair also had a pernicious, long-lasting effect: Young people
started viewing oral sex as if it weren't a big deal. In 1991, 40% of
college students viewed oral sex as a form of intercourse. By 2007,
the number fell to 20%. Why? Researchers believe one possible
explanation is the "Clinton-Lewinsky effect." If the president says
oral sex isn't intercourse, then who are we to disagree?

The changing view of oral sex led to real public health consequences.
Today, evidence indicates that human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus
that causes cervical cancer and can be spread by oral sex, might be
the leading cause of throat cancer. Fast-forward 16 years. In a

New Yorker interview, President Obama followed in Clinton's footsteps
by commenting on a very touchy social issue: smoking pot. Obama raised
more than a few eyebrows when he remarked, "I don't think (marijuana)
is more dangerous than alcohol."

That wasn't smart. First, the science isn't settled on the issue. The
long-term effects of marijuana use are largely unknown. His
speculative statement, therefore, lacks scientific
credibility.

Second, and potentially far more destructively, by claiming that
marijuana is no worse than alcohol, Obama has inadvertently sent a
signal to America's youth: Smoking pot isn't a big deal.

BIG BONG DEAL

But it is a big deal, especially for kids. Smoking marijuana is
thought to impact brain development and has been linked to a drop in
IQ among teenagers.

To be clear, I am not making a case that pot should remain illegal. I
voted, along with 56% of my fellow Washingtonians, for the
legalization of marijuana. The Pacific Northwest libertarian streak
usually errs on the side of letting adults make their own personal
choices, even poor ones.

However, a state legalizing marijuana doesn't send anywhere as
powerful a signal as the president of the United States offhandedly
implying that marijuana isn't a big deal. Although it certainly wasn't
his intention, Obama might have unwittingly endorsed pot in the minds
of teenagers all across America. Can't you just hear our kids say,
"Chill out. Obama said it's no worse than alcohol."

What we don't want to see is the marijuana equivalent of the
Clinton-Lewinsky effect - call it the Obama effect. The public health
implications of increased marijuana consumption among teens are
unknown. And just like unprotected oral sex, in 20 years, will we find
that smoking pot isn't as safe as we thought?

Presidents simply need to be far more careful about what they say.
Whether they like it or not, they serve as a role model for all
Americans. On the rare occasion that a teen listens in on the national
debate, we want to make sure he gets reliable information. 
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