FRENCH YOUTH SHUN WINE FOR MARIJUANA

PARIS - French teenagers see wine and spirits as "old France" and are
increasingly turning to cannabis to let their hair down, according to
a national study on its consumption.

Jean-Michel Costes, head of the French drugs and addiction watchdog,
OFDT, said Wednesday that French cannabis use has soared in the past
15 years and is almost on a par with Britain.

While the French drink half the amount they did in the 1960s, cannabis
consumption among the 18- to 35-year age group has more than trebled
since the early 1990s, the report found.

"There is a big cultural difference between France and England," said
Costes. "Everyone drinks a bit in France, but as part of a meal, not
in order to get merry. To do that, the young are turning to cannabis,"
he said.