Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jul 2016
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2016 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Pamela McColl
Page: A8
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n457/a02.html

COLORADO'S LESSONS

Re: To Understand Pot, Look To Colorado (editorial, July 4):

You point to the 2015 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, arguing that the
state's experience with legalization of marijuana for recreational use
showed no overall increase in past-month marijuana use among youth
since the first time the state gave the survey in 2013.

However, a closer look at this study reveals great increases among
juniors and seniors in some regions of the state, generally those
where commercial marijuana is plentiful. Some 70 per cent of
Colorado's cities, towns, and counties have banned legal pot - medical
and recreational - within their borders. The 2,000-plus pot shops in
the state are concentrated in the remaining 30 per cent of Colorado;
about half of those are in Denver.

The finding that one in five of Colorado's high school students used
marijuana in the past month last year is where the focus should be.
The Globe should ask the pivotal question of the day: How do we reduce
the use of marijuana products by Canadian youth?

Legalization does not solve the problem of use by youth but rather
exacerbates it. Legalization is a mistake of giant
proportions.

Pamela McColl, national director, Smart Approaches To Marijuana (SAM)
Canada
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MAP posted-by: Matt