DON'T KID YOURSELF: POT ISN'T SAFE

Q. I smoke pot sometimes and I have no desire to try any other drugs. Why
do people think that pot smoking can lead to serious drug abuse?

A. Simple - because it can and does. A recent study of twins - who often
are studied because of their shared genetic background gives researchers an
idea of how much of a problem is inherited - found that using any illicit
drug, including marijuana, increased your risk of using other drugs too.
Don't think that sticking just with pot means you're not seriously abusing
drugs. Pot's a drug too, and it can have serious side effects, like
causing damage to your DNA, the genetic material that makes up all your
cells. DNA damage can lead to cancer, and damage to your brain. In fact,
if you think pot is harmless, that damage already may be running its course.

- -Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Q. Is it dangerous to take creatine supplements? A couple of the guys on
my baseball team take them and I'd swear they bulked up and got better.

A. Creatine got lots of press last summer when top slugger Mark McGwire
said he took the supplement for strength and endurance. He's quite a
poster boy for this supplement, which, unlike many others, actually does do
what it claims to do.

Studies show that creatine supplementation can enhance performance,
especially related to strength and endurance. It can bulk you up too. And
there seems to be no short-term side effects.

But there's a problem: The supplements haven't been studied much. No one
really knows if there are any long-term effects. So talk to your doctor
first and have yourself monitored to make sure you're not putting yourself
in harm's way.

- -Source: Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise