'DID YOU EVER SMOKE POT, DAD?'

If You Have, Here's How to Reply

According to the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, about
one-quarter of Americans (70 million people) had tried marijuana at
least once in their lives.

The survey does not say how many of those people have teenagers who
interrupt the parents' antidrug lectures with the question, "Did you
ever try it?"

If parents come clean, they worry their children will think, "Well, my
dad smoked pot and he's fine," said Jim Murai, a Beaverton school
counselor who knows some parents who lie about their past use.

But parents risk losing credibility if they lie, says a family
therapist on a Web site sponsored by the National Youth Anti-Drug
Media Campaign and aimed at parents of youth ages 9 to 18. The site,
www.TheAntiDrug.com/schoolsout/setrules-sayno.html, suggests responses
that allow parents to be honest without being hypocritical. Here are a
few:

"I did drugs because I was bored and wanted to take some risks. . . .
There are much better ways of challenging yourself than doing drugs."

"At your age, between homework, friends, sports and other interests,
there are a lot of fun things going on. If you get into taking drugs,
you're pretty much giving up those other things because you may stop
being able to concentrate, control your moods or keep to a schedule.
You'll miss out on all these great experiences, and you'll never get
those times back."

"You don't know how your body will react to drugs. Some people can get
addicted really quickly."

A related problem parents can point out is that growers have been
increasing the potency of marijuana. In 1980, the average THC content
of the commercial-grade marijuana available to most middle or high
school students was about 2 percent. By 2002, it was 7 percent,
according to the Marijuana Monitoring Project at the University of
Mississippi, which tests marijuana that has been seized by
authorities.

The buds of the female plant, a specialty product that is becoming
more common, have an even higher THC content, averaging about 13
percent but ranging as high as 33 percent (found in a batch
confiscated by Oregon State Police).

In the past two years, according to the national Drug Abuse Warning
Network, marijuana surpassed heroin as the reason for drug-related
visits to emergency rooms across the country, coming in second behind
cocaine. More than 100,000 patients in 2001 primarily reported
unexpected reactions and overdoses, although accidents because of
impaired motor coordination or other brain functions were also a factor.

Studies have indicated that marijuana can cause forgetfulness and
reduced concentration, and can slow reaction time and information
processing, impairing the ability to perform complex tasks.

Parents can also remind their children that their bodies and minds are
still developing and are more susceptible to any damage the drug might
cause. Studies show, for example, that marijuana affects hormones that
direct growth and development, menstrual cycles and sperm production.
While temporary in adults, these effects may have long-term
consequences on youths.