[IVY]

If We Target One Drug, It Must Be Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on May 21, 2005 at 10:12:19 PT
By Joseph A. Califano Jr.
Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen

USA -- The increased potency of today's marijuana and the greater knowledge we have of the dangers of using it justify the increased attention that law enforcement is giving to illegal possession of the drug. But the disappointing reality is that a nearly 30 percent increase in marijuana arrests does not translate into a comparable reduction in use of the drug. Something more is needed.
Rudolph Giuliani's success in slashing New York City's crime rate by, among other things, going after low-level street crimes such as smoking and selling small amounts of marijuana inspired many other mayors to follow suit.

When President Bush announced in 2002 a goal of reducing illegal drug use by 10 percent in two years and 25 percent in five years, he knew he had to focus on cutting marijuana use. Eliminating all other illegal drug use combined would not even get him close to his highly touted objective.

Even though marijuana use has leveled off or waned slightly over the past several years, the number of children and teenagers in treatment for marijuana dependence and abuse has jumped 142 percent since 1992, and the number of teen emergency room admissions in which marijuana is implicated is up almost 50 percent since 1999. Though alcohol remains by far the teen substance of choice, teens are three times likelier to be in treatment for marijuana than for alcohol (and six times likelier to be in treatment for marijuana than for all other illegal drugs combined).

The drug adversely affects short-term memory, the ability to concentrate and motor skills. Recent studies indicate that it increases the likelihood of depression, schizophrenia and other serious mental health problems. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has repeatedly expressed concern about the adverse effect of marijuana on the brain, a matter of particular moment for youngsters whose brains are still in the development stage.

The issue of marijuana use ( and most illegal drug use ) is all about kids. If we can get kids not to smoke marijuana before they reach age 21, they are virtually certain never to do so. So let's do more than trumpet the arrest rate. Let's focus on discouraging children and teens from getting involved with the drug in the first place.

Availability is the mother of use, so doing a far better job of reducing availability is high on the list. Beyond that -- and recognizing that reducing demand is key to that goal -- we should use the increased arrest rate as an opportunity to discourage use.

Reach Joseph A. Califano Jr., president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and secretary of health, education and welfare from 1977 to 1979, via -- http://www.casacolumbia.org/

Newshawk: Afterburner
Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen (IA)
Author: Joseph A. Califano Jr.
Published: May 20, 2005
Copyright: 2005 Iowa City Press-Citizen
Contact: opinion@press-citizen.com
Website: http://www.press-citizen.com