TEENS PREFER DOPE OVER CIGS

Smoking Pot Is More Popular Than Puffing On Tobacco: Study

A new study that concludes Canadian teens smoke more marijuana than
cigarettes doesn't surprise Manitoba addiction officials.

An increasing rate of marijuana smoking among young people is just
one finding in a report about substance report released Wednesday.
Researchers say the report should serve as a "call to action" to parents.

After alcohol, cannabis is the most commonly used illegal substance
among youth. Cannabis use is reported by 17 per cent of students in
grades 7 to 9, about 29 per cent of 15- to 17-year-olds, and almost
half of 18- to 19-year-olds, says the report by the Canadian Centre
on Substance Abuse (CCSA).

The findings of the cross-country report are on target for Manitoba,
says John Borody, executive director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.

He says recent research in Manitoba shows an estimated 38 per cent of
high school students said they smoked marijuana in the previous year
- -- a higher rate than those who smoked cigarettes.

The report, titled Substance Abuse in Canada: Youth in Focus, says
Canadians need to pay closer attention to its findings that the
average age when a child smokes a cigarette for the first time is
about 12, when they use alcohol and get drunk is about 13, and
first-time drug use is around age 14.

More than one third of students in grades 7 to 9 have binged on
alcohol, meaning they consumed five or more drinks on a single
occasion, CCSA researchers say. The same was true for 40 per cent of
15- to 19-year-olds.

Pot smoking now exceeds the rate of cigarette smoking among youth,
the study concludes.

"When we did a school survey actually we found not that much
difference (in attitudes to pot) between what I would call the
high-end schools... than the inner-city schools, and not much
difference between urban and rural," Borody says.

The use of pot has been on a "slow incline" for the last 10 years by
Manitoba teens, says Borody, and AFM programming now educates kids
about risks associated with pot use.

"We're not trying to say to these kids: 'don't use', because that
doesn't necessarily work. What we're saying is, understand the risks
associated with (pot) use, and hopefully that will lead to less use," he says.

He adds that recent studies show pot use by youth is often tied to
lung damage and to mental-health issues that emerge later, or trigger episodes.

"The pot of today is a lot stronger than it was a long time ago...
the amount of chemicals are not that far off tobacco in term of harm
to the lungs."

The report underlines that new approaches are needed to prevent and
treat substance abuse by youth, says Michel Perron, the CCSA's chief
executive officer. In general, Perron says, there needs to be more
funding for services, better co-ordination between all levels of
government and non-governmental agencies, and better use of
evidence-based research to evaluate the most effective approaches.

Prevention strategies should target youth as early as possible, says
Perron, ideally at around age 10.

Canada also needs to "professionalize" addiction treatment services
to make them more effective, Perron adds.

There's a shortage of knowledgeable workers and no consistency in
training, his organization says.

Perron is eagerly awaiting the anti-drug strategy promised by the
federal government, which is expected this fall.

The recently established Canadian Mental Health Commission is another
move in the right direction, he says.

"We're very much looking to mobilize Canadian attention that we need
to address substance use and addiction by youth in Canada," he adds.
"We can't do this with government alone; we have to be willing to
work together."

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Why Is Pot A Drug Of Choice For Youth?

Perceived Lower Health Risks?

"I think there's a general acceptance by youth that out of all the
drugs, it's probably the least risky. They see it as being a safer
drug," said John Borody, executive director of the Addictions
Foundation of Manitoba.

"If they're going to compare all the drugs, like crystal meth and
cocaine, of course, the harms (for those) are higher, so I think what
they're doing is seeing that... the acceptability of the drug seems
to be higher in the youth population."

Liberal Social Views?

"At one point, the federal government was talking about
decriminalizating the penalties for single use (of pot)," said
Borody. "I think a lot of people saw that as moving towards
legalization, and it wasn't. It's another supportive reason for
them." Mainstream films such as How High (2001) have glorified
smoking pot, and films such as Dazed and Confused and Half-Baked show
young characters smoking the drug -- never mind MuchMusic videos that
suggest rap artists puffing pot.

Cost?

A pack of cigarettes can be between $11 to $14 with taxes, whereas a
gram of pot (known in street lingo as a "dime bag") costs about $10,
according to street sources.

A gram of pot can be rolled in cigarette papers or smoked using a
bong or glass pipe widely available in stores for as little as about
$10 or $20.

Smoking And Driving?

"Kids really seem to really get the connection, 'If you're going to
drink, don't get behind the wheel,'" said Borody. "Anecdotally in
class, kids say they don't see the harm in getting in the car with
someone who's smoked up recently, or even smoking up and getting
behind the wheel... I don't think they've gotten the message yet,
impairment's impairment.