Medical And Economic Benefits Of The Drug Are Being Discussed. Although an increasing percentage of Americans support legalizing marijuana, studies by various agencies show a country far from descent into reefer madness. Polls from different research groups show similar percentages of Americans who believe marijuana should be legalized. A February telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports found 40 percent of participants in favor of legalizing the drug, with 46 percent opposed. A CBS and New York Times poll conducted in January reported similar numbers, with 41 percent in favor and 52 percent opposed. [continues 562 words]
TROY -- Law enforcement officials say a recent drug bust in Troy may indicate a resurgence of ecstasy being sold on the streets. Three people are awaiting federal charges after they were caught with more than 5,000 tablets of the drug with a street value of more than $100,000. "I worked 20 years in narcotics; I've been out of it for about five or six years. But I've haven't seen anything significant like that in some time," Troy Police Lt. Chuck Pappas said. [continues 377 words]
Becky Harmon of Marietta has long warned her teenage son, Joseph, about the insidious nature of drugs and alcohol: "They can ravage your body; kill your dreams," she's told him. Joseph, now 14, recently fired back with the question parents know is coming but hope to avoid: "Mom, have you ever done drugs?" And suddenly, Harmon, a 44-year-old life coach who leads classes coined "Success -- Not Sabotage," was forced to grapple with a slice of personal history from her college days that threatened to sabotage her moral standing. [continues 1632 words]
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York recently released a survey, which shows more teens are abusing prescription medication than virtually any other drug. Data from the Partnership for a Drug Free America's annual tracking study suggests: - One in five teens has abused a prescription pain medication. - One in five reports abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers. - One in 10 has abused cough medication. The report found that children, as young as 12 years of age, are experimenting with prescription drugs non-medically to "get high" or to "self-medicate." It is frightening that teens seem to think taking prescription drugs is safer. [continues 562 words]
But Survey Finds Jump in Abuse of Prescriptions in Those 18-25 Teenagers and young adults are using fewer street drugs -- cocaine, heroin and marijuana -- than they did in 2002, says a government report out Thursday. Children ages 12 to 17 are using fewer prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. The survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows young adults 18 to 25 are using more prescription drugs illicitly. Use of prescription pain relievers for non-medical purposes in that age group rose from 4.1% in 2002 to 4.6% in 2007. [continues 362 words]
Meth Workshops, Classes To Be Held On Molokai One of the best ways to fight illicit drug use on Molokai is to get the community involved, said local police officer Stafford "Lani" Caparida. Caparida is trying to do just that by taking part in a new project spearheaded by Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Maui. Meth 360 is a program designed to train local law enforcement officials and representatives from community organizations on the dangers and realities of crystal methamphetamine so that they can pass this information on to the community through in-school presentations and other community gatherings. [continues 813 words]
Congress can be so groovy. Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank announced a proposal Wednesday to strike down penalties against those possessing less than a 100 grams, or almost a quarter-pound, of marijuana. "This is not just some flakey notion. This is a serious issue," Frank, a Democrat, said by phone from Washington, D.C. Frank added that he thought the issue would resonate with newer voters. "We need to show younger people that it is relevant for them to get into politics," he said. [continues 339 words]
It was the fall of 1969, about six weeks after Woodstock, my senior year at the University of Denver. I had just moved into an apartment two blocks off campus. Tuesday, my first day in the new apartment, I'd borrowed a frying pan from the next-door neighbor, a young woman, tall and shapely with long honey-brown hair. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I'd stood out on her porch for several minutes with the borrowed frying pan in hand, stunned. [continues 2793 words]
It was interesting to see the Press make reference to the movie "Reefer Madness" in its June 2 editorial supporting a state bill that would allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The movie, like the misinformation Partnership for a Drug-Free America feeds the public, is full of lies. The religious group that financed "Reefer Madness" simply made stuff up. These groups say smoking pot is bad for you. It probably is. But nobody says you have to smoke it. You can eat it. [continues 312 words]
Regarding "They fight our war," (Editorial, May 13): It seems to me that the debate for legalization of drugs has been done; the people have spoken and they don't want legalization of drugs. While the number of police officers and others who have been killed in Mexico dealing with the drug cartels is unfortunate, just think of the tens of thousands of people who could lose their lives if using drugs is legalized. Reducing the demand for drugs is the way to go. Prevention is one of our best bets and we have made progress. Drug use is down here among our teens. Legalizing drugs would be a huge step backward when prevention has moved us and millions of people forward. Devon Engel, Scottsdale The writer is chairman, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Arizona Affiliate. [end]
A Raft of Films Has Some Observers Citing a Generational Shift Among Filmmakers. Call it cinema's stoned age. Films featuring characters using marijuana have mushroomed. "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," the second movie to feature the titular pot-smoking characters, grossed nearly $15 million on its opening weekend, which might portend a big opening for August's "Pineapple Express," a Judd Apatow-produced comedy about a pot smoker and his supplier on the run. Also rolling out: "The Wackness," with Ben Kingsley as a bong-using psychiatrist; "Humboldt County," in which a medical student spends a summer in a marijuana-farming town; and "Super High Me," with comedian Doug Benson using the drug for 30 days. [continues 681 words]
Russell Bietsch was just weeks away from his 19th birthday when his parents discovered he used drugs. It's hard to say whether this was his first time or not, but it was his last. Sometime around 2:30 a.m. June 1, Russell collapsed at a friend's home and was pronounced dead on arrival at Grady Memorial Hospital. He was a nice kid from a nice suburban neighborhood and responsible, involved parents, one of countless American teenagers who experiment with drugs - except for two things. [continues 600 words]
The U.S. government loves its wars, especially against vague terms and unspecific countries. For example, we are currently in a War on Terror. Our strategy is to blow up "fear" with bombs ... and by "fear," they mean Muslims. We also had a War on Poverty, which resulted in the creation of an agency to deal with the problem (what a solution!). And, believe it or not, we are still involved in the War on Drugs. Given my stance on marijuana (legalize it, bitches), you may not be shocked at my disapproval of this latter term of warfare. However, if you think I am against the War on Drugs because I'm a pothead who just wants to get high without consequence, you're only half right. [continues 480 words]
Researchers Given $33 Million Grant to Continue Useful Task Hamburg Township, Mich. -- President Nixon may not have dented the nation's drug epidemic when he named Elvis Presley a "federal agent at large" in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in 1970. But a $120 million research program born during the Nixon administration continues to shape America's drug policies. And it all started with a 33-year-old psychology graduate student's bold plan to poll thousands of teens nationwide each year about their drug habits and beliefs at a time when reefer madness had them in its grip. [continues 607 words]
Project That Asks Kids About Habits 'Unparalleled in Its Importance' HAMBURG TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- President Nixon may not have dented the nation's drug epidemic when he named Elvis Presley a "federal agent at large" in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in 1970. But a $120 million research program born in the Nixon administration continues to shape America's drug policies. It all started with a 33-year-old psychology graduate student's plan to poll thousands of teens nationwide each year about their drug habits and beliefs. [continues 651 words]
More than 170 school buses in the Prescott area are displaying new signage, aiming to increase awareness of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse. MATForce, the Yavapai County Substance Abuse Coalition, is sponsoring the school bus displays on Prescott, Humboldt, Mayer and Chino Valley Unified School District buses. "The eye-catching signage will deliver a variety of substance abuse messages designed for students, families and people of all ages," said Kevin Kapp, superintendent of the Prescott Unified School District and MATForce supporter. "We want to help remind families and caregivers to educate themselves and to talk with their children about the dangerous effects of substance abuse." [continues 406 words]
While many teens and young adults are kept busy with homework or a job, school and social activities, many also find themselves with time on their hands and not much to do except to gather with friends on street corners, at malls or billiard halls. Young people often find themselves experiencing pressure from peers to try something they might not be ready for, not comfortable with, or even afraid of, like cigarettes, alcohol, shoplifting, sex and drugs. Serious social problems like drug abuse, crime and unwanted pregnancies are affecting teens and young adults directly. In major cities like Jakarta and others, they face hard choices every day, and may be feeling pressures or urges that adults can't comprehend. [continues 1028 words]
Super Bowl Spot Cautions Against Prescription-Drug Abuse by Teens WASHINGTON -- The White House drug office will use its first Super Bowl spot in four years to caution that the biggest teen drug danger could be the legal medicines stored in parents' medicine chests. The White House drug office's Super Bowl spot features a drug dealer complaining that his business is down because teens are getting high from abusing drugs in the medicine cabinet. The spot is part of a 12-week multimedia campaign that for the first time switches the focus from teens to their parents, and delivers a loud warning that it's no longer just illegal drugs that put teens at risk. [continues 563 words]
On the street they call it "strawberry quick." It looks like pink crystal rock candy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Chemists shape methamphetamine from lye, battery acid, lithium from batteries and acetone, to name but a few lovely ingredients. "Meth is the most serious addictive drug I have seen, and I have worked with heroin and other street drugs," said Darlene Duncan, a social worker on the board of the Gila County Meth Coalition at a recent workshop on children and meth for court-appointed special advocates (CASAs). [continues 731 words]
Students Questioned About Use Of Drugs, Prevalence Of Violence, Sexual Activity. Despite national studies showing the abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines is rampant among teens, the issue was largely ignored in a survey of dangerous behavior among the state's youth. On Friday, the state Department of Education released the results of the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a national survey of high school students sponsored by the Center for Disease Control that is conducted every two years. [continues 849 words]
