LUNGREN: MEDICAL POT SPURS TEEN DRUG USE

California Attorney General Dan Lungren said Monday that drug abuse by
juveniles is on the rise, and he blamed part of it on the passage of the
medical marijuana initiative approved by voters in 1996.

In his seventh and final "State of the Public Safety" address, Lungren
touted a steady decline in California's crime rate during the past four
years. He pointed to statistics released Monday showing that the number of
serious reported crimes in selected cities and counties was down by 7.4
percent during the first nine months of 1997, compared to the same period
in 1996.

But Lungren, a Republican who is running for governor, said in a speech to
the Comstock Club that drug use among young people has "risen dramatically,
threatening the drop in crime that California has achieved."

Lungren noted that he strongly opposed Proposition 215, which legalized
marijuana use for medical purposes when approved by a physician, and he
said the measure sent a "damaging signal" to both adults and young people.

"As a result," Lungren said, "Here in California our young people are using
marijuana more than at any other time during the last 10 years."

According to Lungren, the only other state that experienced an increase in
illegal drug use by minors last year was Arizona, which also approved a
medical marijuana initiative in 1996.

Saying he also is very concerned about methamphetamine use by youths in
California, Lungren said he plans to spend more than $2 million from a new
$18.2 million federal grant to launch a public-awareness campaign about the
adverse health and safety effects of that drug, commonly known as crank.

"To kids who think crank is cool, we will show them that meth users are
nothing but tremendous time bombs," the attorney general said.

But in a press conference after his speech, Lungren said he would not favor
a proposal advanced last month by Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, a Democratic
candidate for governor, to allow random drug tests of high school students.

"I don't see the great need for that right now," Lungren said. "We need to
get our cultural focus back on track."

Lungren covered a lot of ground during his 45-minute speech: He credited
the three-strikes-and-you're-out sentencing law for the sharp drop in
violent crimes. He advocated adding home burglars to a new sentencing law
that calls for a minimum 10-year prison term for carrying a gun while
committing certain crimes. And he renewed his call for making public the
names of juveniles who have been arrested for serious crimes.

But Lungren became most passionate when he spoke on one of his favorite
topics -- decaying "cultural attitudes." Lungren recited the violent lyrics
of a best-selling video game, and he decried the marketing of marijuana
"trading cards" to youths.

"Whatever happened to character development?" Lungren asked, straying from
his prepared remarks. "People hide behind the First Amendment by saying we
can't do anything against them legally, and I agree. But we can
re-interject the notion of shame in our society."

Answering a question from the audience after his speech, Lungren declined
to criticize federal prosecutors for striking a plea bargain with Unabomber
Ted Kaczynski that spared him the possibility of the death penalty.
However, he suggested that the jury easily could have imposed capital
punishment.

"Virtually every day in California courts state prosecutors are prosecuting
death penalty (cases) against individuals who have real or imagined mental
problems as great or greater than Mr. Kaczynski," Lungren said.

But he added, "Every case is unique and it's tough to put yourself in the
shoes of anybody who made that decision."

Lungren then returned to his theme of cultural values.

"I just don't want to see Kaczynksi become a big hero now, and I hope the
press will not give him any publicity for any future writings he might
have," he said, prompting loud applause.