Marijuana's impact

New studies make some troubling discoveries
07/02/97

Publicly voiced concerns about marijuana use normally aren't taken very
seriously by users. They tend to snicker rather than tremble. Yet before
again inhaling the comforting myth that pot is benign, they should
consider the latest scientific finding: marijuana affects the brain the
same way heroin and cocaine do.

Published in the current issue of Science, the conclusions based on
two new studies conducted in Italy, Spain and California are even more
disturbing as they relate to young people. It turns out that teenagers
who try marijuana are more at risk of becoming addicted than teenagers
who try cocaine.

That's bad enough. But U.S. governmentfunded surveys suggest things may
be deteriorating, given that 18.3 percent of eighthgraders and 33.6
percent of high school sophomores used marijuana in 1996. The respective
rates were only 6.2 percent and 16.5 percent in 1991. This means the
legacy of supposedly benign marijuana use could be with us for decades
to come.

According to Alan Lesher, director of the National Institute for Drug
Abuse, the studies "suggest that marijuana use primes the brain for
abuse of drugs like heroin and cocaine." In other words, avoiding
marijuana after using it produces emotional withdrawal symptoms similar
to those associated with stronger drugs. Drug experts routinely note
that marijuana today is about 10 times stronger than 20 or 30 years ago.

Naturally, a quick and effective response is in order. Although the
nation's drug czar, Barry McCaffrey, has been sounding the alarm, the
statistics have kept rising. Mr. McCaffrey's announcement of a $170
million media blitz to sensitize youth about the dangers of drugs is a
step in the right direction. But President Clinton and first lady
Hillary Clinton should also pitch in by making public appearances,
speeches and public service announcements.

In fact, everyone should help Mr. McCaffrey spread the word about
marijuana use. The main target should be young people who have never
tried drugs. Yet current marijuana users and prospective users alike may
wish to consider the point being underscored by science: In lighting up
a joint, they may be playing with fire.