STUDY: POT USE ON RISE

More Than 70% Of Arrested Youths Tested Positive

Researchers are calling it the "New Marijuana Epidemic," and their numbers
show use of the herb skyrocketing among some older teens arrested in Atlanta.

A study was released Friday that indicates a steep climb in use among a
sample of arrested youths. Researchers concluded that in 1990, 6 percent of
teens aged 18-20 tested positive for marijuana use. That number shot to 73
percent in 1999, exceeding a similar national trend.

The study was published by the National Institute of Justice, which is a
part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The researchers examined data from
the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program, which monitors trends in
drug use detected through analysis of urine among 18- to 20-year-olds
arrested in 23 participating cities across the country. The sample size was
300 teens each quarter at each location.

The study also showed that crack and heroin use in the same population have
dropped significantly.

Before gathering and testing urine samples for the study, Atlanta police
would've been required to get permission from those arrested.

The study shows that nationally, the rate of marijuana use among youthful
offenders increased steadily from 25 percent in 1991 to about 60 percent
during the late 1990s, where it has remained.

Marijuana use also has steadily increased in Atlanta since 1990, reaching
69 percent in 1996, according to the report. In 1997 and 1998, usage
dropped to 62 percent, only to jump back up to 73 percent in 1999.

"We need another year or so of data to see if the peak has been achieved,"
said Andrew Golub, who co-authored the survey for the National Institute of
Justice. "It is always easier to understand what was happening five years
ago than last year."

In Woodruff Park, a downtown Atlanta park frequented by college students,
homeless people, musicians and skate kids, marijuana is an easy topic.

Maria Burgos, a 21-year-old student at Georgia State University, compares
the use of marijuana to smoking amongst her peers.

"The are both very common," said Burgos, a non-smoker.

Todd Kadas, 23, said that marijuana has become the social drug of choice.
He said he recently attended a party where marijuana is as prevalent as
beer once was.

"Marijuana is like more socially accepted than alcohol," said Kadas, who
studies international business and Spanish at Georgia State. "Drinking
almost has a negative connotation to it now."

Sharon Strong, a 21-year-old French and Spanish student at GSU, said that
while she has never smoked marijuana, just about everyone she knows does.

"I have heard that it's better to smoke pot than cigarettes," said Strong
as she puffed on a cigarette.

Noting that drug trends go in cycles, Golub claims hip-hop is a
contributing factor in the rise of marijuana use among the age group.

"The incubation phase typically grows out of a specific social context. For
example, the heroin injection epidemic grew out of the jazz era and the
crack epidemic started among inner-city drug dealers," said Golub. "There
is evidence to suggest that the incubation phase of the new marijuana
epidemic began with the youthful, inner-city, predominantly
African-American, hip-hop movement."

Golub said his evidence comes from field observations and a study of
cultural artifacts.

"Kids coming of age since 1970, are choosing to use marijuana. Not crack
and heroin," said Golub. "But they are using marijuana at ages when
predecessors were using crack and heroin."

Golub said unlike the previous generations, marijuana users are not
expected to go on to harder drugs.

"Drug control policies in this population should look more closely at some
of the underlying issues, such as poverty, lack of community and family
support, and lack of educational and career opportunities," said Golub.
"This might be an opportune time to address many of these inner-city problems."