FROM MEDIA TO NOVELTY STORES, REFERENCES TO DRUGS AREN'T HARD TO FIND

In school, teens learn the consequences of smoking marijuana. But in
movies, they see actors toke up without consequence, except perhaps for a
giggle fit.

At home, their parents tell them drugs only lead to trouble. But the singer
in their headphones says drugs lead to a good time, money and prestige.

Everywhere, teens see public service announcements against marijuana. But
they also see T-shirts, posters and other novelty items promoting drug use.

High school students in Hardin County say they commonly receive mixed
messages about marijuana. The mix could leave some teens wondering about
the harm drugs cause.

"It's a double message," said Wayne Hoffman, a certified alcohol and drug
counselor with Lincoln Trail Behavioral Health System. When items that
promote marijuana, from movies to pipes, can be sold legally, teens figure
marijuana use isn't that harmful, he said.

And for teens already using marijuana, it only "fuels the fire," Hoffman said.

"It's always around. You flip the channel, and there it is," said Kellie
Manier, a senior at John Hardin High School. "It's your choice if you're
going to do it or not, but it's always going to be right in your face."

Spencer Gifts in Towne Mall sells several items that feature marijuana - a
pot-smoking teddy bear, marijuana leaf-shaped cookie cutters and a poster
displaying 27 different slang terms for the drug, to name a few.

"I can see how it would promote it as a cool thing," said Allison Bolin, an
assistant manager at the store.

Although teens shop and browse there, Bolin said employees don't sell
marijuana-related merchandise to customers they suspect are younger than
18. Because the items are legal, they don't ask young customers for
identification.

Bolin, 22, said she believes the movie and music industries promote drug
use more than keychains and posters.

Though rated R, many movies that paint a cool or harmless picture of
marijuana, such as "How High," "Friday" and "Road Trip," target teens.

In group interviews last week, teens grinned at the mention of such movies.
One student laughed when he thought of "How High," a comedy starring
popular rappers Redman and Method Man, in which marijuana is a key plot
element.

Teens cited other examples of positive marijuana messages. A friend wears a
marijuana leaf charm on a necklace. VH1 airs documentaries about musicians'
outrageous drug use. Snoop Dog, who has rapped about getting high and
smoked marijuana in movies, hosts a sketch comedy show on MTV. Stores
legally sell products commonly used to smoke marijuana, such as rolling
papers and pipes. Officially, those products are used to smoke tobacco.

Some teens don't pay attention to the messages.

"I guess because I see so much of it, it doesn't register," said Bethany
Chalings, a senior at North Hardin High School.

Other teens see the "high" characters as jokes, not influences.

"Music videos and movies in general make marijuana and other drugs into a
joke," said Sean Craig, another North Hardin senior.

Still, other teens said they believe the positive messages chip away at the
negative stance on drugs.

"It's making us think twice about it," said Heather Stroupe, also a senior
at North Hardin. "It's been pounded into us that it's wrong, but there are
messages out there that suggest it's not."