T
The420Guy
Guest
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's leaders in public health,
parenting and drug prevention have joined the White House Drug Czar to warn
parents about the serious risks of youth marijuana use. Starting tomorrow, an
"Open Letter to Parents About Marijuana" will appear in nearly 300 newspapers
nationwide. Signed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and
17 national organizations, the letter warns parents that marijuana is a
serious drug with serious consequences for young users. Representatives of
these organizations appeared today at a press conference with the Drug Czar
and the Surgeon General and urged parents to learn more about marijuana and
give their kids the facts.
"Marijuana is riskier than people think, especially for kids. Smoking
marijuana can lead to significant health and behavior problems for youth --
disrupting families and jeopardizing our children's futures," said John P.
Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The risks associated with
marijuana have been trivialized and our kids are getting the wrong message.
It is time to dispel the myths about marijuana. The facts are compelling, but
we must arm parents, teachers, community leaders and our children with the
truth. Outdated and false perceptions about the drug are putting today's kids
at risk."
"Young marijuana users face serious risks. Marijuana can harm the brain,
lungs and mental health. Research also shows that marijuana is addictive,"
said Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D. "More teens enter drug treatment
each year for marijuana than for all other illicit drugs combined. Marijuana
use is also three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents
than among adults."
Part of a larger marijuana prevention initiative that the ONDCP is rolling
out this fall, the "Open Letter to Parents about Marijuana" urges parents to
learn more about marijuana and to talk to their kids about the harm it poses
to young users, including putting them at risk for a host of significant
health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in their
lives. The letter is signed by the ONDCP and the American Academy of Family
Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Emergency
Physicians; American Medical Association; American Society of Addiction
Medicine; Child Welfare League of America; Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of
America/Drug-Free Kids Campaign; National Asian Pacific American Families
Against Substance Abuse; National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Directors; National Center for School Health Nursing; National Crime
Prevention Council; National Families in Action; National Family Partnership;
National Indian Health Board; National Medical Association; National PTA; and
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia
University. These groups will help distribute educational materials about
marijuana to parents and youth this fall.
"The American Medical Association welcomes the opportunity to be one of 17
national organizations supporting the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
against marijuana," said Richard F. Corlin, M.D., immediate past president,
AMA. "For far too long, the message to our nation's young people has been
that marijuana is harmless, when research has clearly proven that is not the
case. Marijuana is mind-altering, it can be addictive, and it can lead to
destructive behavior."
The initiative will also include new print and broadcast advertising running
this fall designed to dispel popular myths and misconceptions about
marijuana. The advertising educates parents about the things they can say and
do to keep their kids drug-free. The Media Campaign is also publishing a new
marijuana-specific pamphlet for parents that will be available next month.
"Make no mistake, marijuana is a harmful, addictive drug that is readily
available to our children in communities across the country," said Louis Z.
Cooper, M.D., president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Teenagers who
are smoking marijuana today are using a drug more potent than what was
available in the 1960s."
"The National Medical Association has become involved with this campaign
because marijuana is a problem in our community," said L. Natalie Carroll,
M.D., president of the NMA. "We do not want to see illicit drug use among our
youth and we believe that marijuana negatively affects many aspects of a
young person's life, including the ability to learn and think."
"National PTA is pleased to support ONDCP's initiative to increase awareness
of the dangers of drug abuse to the nation's children," said National PTA
President Shirley Igo. "The solution to the problem of alcohol and drug abuse
is not simple nor will it be accomplished quickly. It will take a sustained
and collaborative effort on the part of all those who have a stake in
building healthy communities, especially parents."
More kids use marijuana than cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and all other illicit
drugs combined. In fact, approximately 60 percent of young people who use
illicit drugs use marijuana only. And the number of 8th graders who have used
the drug has doubled in the last decade from one in ten to one in five.
Studies also show that kids who use marijuana don't do as well in school.
Research has found that young people with an average grade of "D" or below
were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the last year
than those with an average grade of "A."
Young marijuana users are also more likely to engage in risky behavior, such
as having sex, becoming involved in violence, getting in trouble with the
law, driving while high or riding with someone who is, or experimenting with
other illegal drugs. Kids ages 12-17 who use marijuana weekly are five times
more likely to steal and nearly four times more likely to engage in violent
acts than those who don't.
However, research also shows that parents are the most powerful influence on
their kids when it comes to marijuana. Two-thirds of youth ages 13-17 say
losing their parents' respect is one of the main reasons they don't smoke
marijuana or use other drugs.
Parents can help keep their kids drug-free by asking questions and staying
involved in their childrens' lives. More information about the effects of
marijuana use and its signs and symptoms, as well as advice for parents on
keeping kids drug-free, can be found on ONDCP's Media Campaign Web site for
parents at https://www.theantidrug.com. Parents can also call the National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-788-2800 for free
resources. Information for youth about marijuana can be found by visiting
https://www.freevibe.com.
In 1998, with the bipartisan support of Congress and the President, ONDCP
created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, an effort designed to
educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs. Counting on an
unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community
service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the
Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds wherever they
live, learn, work, play and practice their faith.
For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
visit Media Campaign, https://www.freevibe.com, or
All eBooks, Guides & More from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
https://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X66484290
SOURCE Office of National Drug Control Policy; National Youth Anti-Drug
Media
Campaign
CO: Office of National Drug Control Policy; National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign
ST: District of Columbia
SU: EXE CHI
PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and
09/17/2002 13:00 EDT
parenting and drug prevention have joined the White House Drug Czar to warn
parents about the serious risks of youth marijuana use. Starting tomorrow, an
"Open Letter to Parents About Marijuana" will appear in nearly 300 newspapers
nationwide. Signed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and
17 national organizations, the letter warns parents that marijuana is a
serious drug with serious consequences for young users. Representatives of
these organizations appeared today at a press conference with the Drug Czar
and the Surgeon General and urged parents to learn more about marijuana and
give their kids the facts.
"Marijuana is riskier than people think, especially for kids. Smoking
marijuana can lead to significant health and behavior problems for youth --
disrupting families and jeopardizing our children's futures," said John P.
Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The risks associated with
marijuana have been trivialized and our kids are getting the wrong message.
It is time to dispel the myths about marijuana. The facts are compelling, but
we must arm parents, teachers, community leaders and our children with the
truth. Outdated and false perceptions about the drug are putting today's kids
at risk."
"Young marijuana users face serious risks. Marijuana can harm the brain,
lungs and mental health. Research also shows that marijuana is addictive,"
said Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D. "More teens enter drug treatment
each year for marijuana than for all other illicit drugs combined. Marijuana
use is also three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents
than among adults."
Part of a larger marijuana prevention initiative that the ONDCP is rolling
out this fall, the "Open Letter to Parents about Marijuana" urges parents to
learn more about marijuana and to talk to their kids about the harm it poses
to young users, including putting them at risk for a host of significant
health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in their
lives. The letter is signed by the ONDCP and the American Academy of Family
Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Emergency
Physicians; American Medical Association; American Society of Addiction
Medicine; Child Welfare League of America; Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of
America/Drug-Free Kids Campaign; National Asian Pacific American Families
Against Substance Abuse; National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Directors; National Center for School Health Nursing; National Crime
Prevention Council; National Families in Action; National Family Partnership;
National Indian Health Board; National Medical Association; National PTA; and
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia
University. These groups will help distribute educational materials about
marijuana to parents and youth this fall.
"The American Medical Association welcomes the opportunity to be one of 17
national organizations supporting the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
against marijuana," said Richard F. Corlin, M.D., immediate past president,
AMA. "For far too long, the message to our nation's young people has been
that marijuana is harmless, when research has clearly proven that is not the
case. Marijuana is mind-altering, it can be addictive, and it can lead to
destructive behavior."
The initiative will also include new print and broadcast advertising running
this fall designed to dispel popular myths and misconceptions about
marijuana. The advertising educates parents about the things they can say and
do to keep their kids drug-free. The Media Campaign is also publishing a new
marijuana-specific pamphlet for parents that will be available next month.
"Make no mistake, marijuana is a harmful, addictive drug that is readily
available to our children in communities across the country," said Louis Z.
Cooper, M.D., president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Teenagers who
are smoking marijuana today are using a drug more potent than what was
available in the 1960s."
"The National Medical Association has become involved with this campaign
because marijuana is a problem in our community," said L. Natalie Carroll,
M.D., president of the NMA. "We do not want to see illicit drug use among our
youth and we believe that marijuana negatively affects many aspects of a
young person's life, including the ability to learn and think."
"National PTA is pleased to support ONDCP's initiative to increase awareness
of the dangers of drug abuse to the nation's children," said National PTA
President Shirley Igo. "The solution to the problem of alcohol and drug abuse
is not simple nor will it be accomplished quickly. It will take a sustained
and collaborative effort on the part of all those who have a stake in
building healthy communities, especially parents."
More kids use marijuana than cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and all other illicit
drugs combined. In fact, approximately 60 percent of young people who use
illicit drugs use marijuana only. And the number of 8th graders who have used
the drug has doubled in the last decade from one in ten to one in five.
Studies also show that kids who use marijuana don't do as well in school.
Research has found that young people with an average grade of "D" or below
were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the last year
than those with an average grade of "A."
Young marijuana users are also more likely to engage in risky behavior, such
as having sex, becoming involved in violence, getting in trouble with the
law, driving while high or riding with someone who is, or experimenting with
other illegal drugs. Kids ages 12-17 who use marijuana weekly are five times
more likely to steal and nearly four times more likely to engage in violent
acts than those who don't.
However, research also shows that parents are the most powerful influence on
their kids when it comes to marijuana. Two-thirds of youth ages 13-17 say
losing their parents' respect is one of the main reasons they don't smoke
marijuana or use other drugs.
Parents can help keep their kids drug-free by asking questions and staying
involved in their childrens' lives. More information about the effects of
marijuana use and its signs and symptoms, as well as advice for parents on
keeping kids drug-free, can be found on ONDCP's Media Campaign Web site for
parents at https://www.theantidrug.com. Parents can also call the National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-788-2800 for free
resources. Information for youth about marijuana can be found by visiting
https://www.freevibe.com.
In 1998, with the bipartisan support of Congress and the President, ONDCP
created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, an effort designed to
educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs. Counting on an
unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community
service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the
Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds wherever they
live, learn, work, play and practice their faith.
For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
visit Media Campaign, https://www.freevibe.com, or
All eBooks, Guides & More from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
https://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X66484290
SOURCE Office of National Drug Control Policy; National Youth Anti-Drug
Media
Campaign
CO: Office of National Drug Control Policy; National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign
ST: District of Columbia
SU: EXE CHI
PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and
09/17/2002 13:00 EDT
