NIE: WEED OUT THE TRUTH OUT MARIJUANA

An NIE Educational Activity

Challenge yourself and your friends to compare your perceptions of
marijuana to reality. Check the responses with the answers below.

True False

1 Marijuana won't hurt you - it's just a plant.

2 You can get addicted to marijuana.

3 Marijuana use can have many long-term effects.

4 Marijuana isn't as harmful as cigarettes.

5 You can't have fun without marijuana.

ANSWERS

1. False. Marijuana hurts young bodies and minds. Marijuana affects the
brain and can impair mental health, leading to depression and anxiety.
Research shows that kids who are high are more likely to have poor
judgment, leading to sex and other risky behaviors.

2. True. Nearly 60 percent of teens in drug treatment have a primary
diagnosis of marijuana dependence. And marijuana use is three times more
likely to lead to dependence among teens than among adults.

3. True. Marijuana use can have many long-term effects. In addition to the
health risks, using marijuana can lead to failure in school, trouble with
the law or risky behaviors that could have lifelong consequences.

4. False. One marijuana joint can contain as much cancer-causing tar as
four tobacco cigarettes, and smoking pot can result in lung and respiratory
damage.

5. False. The truth is marijuana use can interfere with your fun and put a
strain on relationships with family and friends.

Scan several weeks' worth of newspapers and clip out all stories that
mention marijuana and other youth substance use. Create a chart that
indicates age and gender of youth in the stories and what types of
substance is involved. Then, research national and local/state statistics
on substance use to determine whether the stories from your paper provide a
representative sample of what's happening in your community and nationwide.

Use the "Myth vs. Reality" quiz to poll young people in your school and
community. Report on your survey results for your school newspaper or for
English or social studies class. Describe what shaped your peers' thinking
and how their perceptions about marijuana compare to reality.

Scan recent newspapers and find a story about someone who has used an
illicit drug such as marijuana. What were the consequences? Write down
three negative consequences of smoking pot. What could you say to someone
who offers it to you? Ask family members what they'd do in a similar situation.

Share your findings from these activities and read about others'
experiences at www.Freevibe.com.

The material for this special feature was provided by the National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign, a program of the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy, in partnership with the Newspaper Association of
America Foundation's Newspaper in Education program, Community Anti-Drug
Coalitions of America and the National Association of Student Assistance
Professionals.

For more activities, go to www.sunherald.com