MED MARIJUANA SENDS TEENS WRONG MESSAGE

To the editor:

The Arizona Academy of Pediatrics recently came out against
Proposition 203, because states with medical marijuana laws have far
higher rates of teenage marijuana use.

They used data from the government's National Survey on Drug Use and
Health. Between 1999 and 2006, the number of teens who used marijuana
at least once a month was 20 percent higher in states with medical
marijuana laws. In 2007 and '08, it was 30 percent higher.

There are two reasons so many teens smoke pot in medical marijuana
states. One is that marijuana is more available. In states with laws
like the one proposed for Arizona, only 2 to 3 percent of the
marijuana goes to people with serious illnesses. Instead, most goes to
people younger than 40, many of them teens.

The second reason is these laws send the message that marijuana is
safe. What else would teens believe when they see adults using it for
everyday aches and pains?

But marijuana hits teenagers really hard, especially in school.
Research shows that teenagers who use marijuana regularly find it
harder to learn, get lower grades, and are less likely to finish high
school. If Proposition 203 passes, Arizona will probably see an
additional 2,000 to 3,000 students drop out of school every year.

This is not what we want for the next generation of Americans. The
terrible effect medical marijuana laws have on teenagers is one reason
many medical professionals, including Arizona's pediatricians,
recommend a no vote on Proposition 203.

MARY ERHART, MSW, LISAC, CCDVC

Director, Northern Arizona Substance Abuse Services