DATA ON MARIJUANA TREATMENT PRESENT A DISTORTED PICTURE

The story pointed out correctly that there has been a recent increase
in teens seeking treatment for marijuana use, but its agreement with
the folklore of the drug treatment community is betrayed by the data.

The Health and Human Services data that the article refers to state in
no uncertain terms that the number of court-ordered treatment
[program] admissions increased every single year (but one) between
1992 and 2001, and that noncriminal referrals were stable or declined
from 1995 on.

By perpetrating the myth of increased addictive liability of
high-potency marijuana, health professionals are assisting the
government in putting the health and safety of the millions of
responsible American marijuana smokers in jeopardy.

Adam Scavone

New York