PARENTS WARNED AGAINST TRIVIALIZING DANGERS OF POT

WASHINGTON - The nation's drug policy director warned parents Tuesday
against trivializing the dangers of marijuana to their children, warning
them that more teens are addicted to pot than to alcohol or to all other
illegal drugs combined.

Many parents and children have outdated perceptions about marijuana, said
John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. They
believe marijuana is not addictive, that it's less dangerous than
cigarettes or that it has few long-term health consequences.

In reality, more teens enter rehabilitation centers to treat marijuana
addiction than alcohol or all illegal drugs combined, Walters said. "Our
effort is to correct the ignorance that is the single biggest obstacle to
protecting our kids," he said as he announced an advertising campaign by
his office and 17 education, public health, anti-drug and family advocacy
groups.

The national effort will include advertisements on television, radio and
print media, along with ones that will air in National Football League
stadiums and inside game programs.

"For too long our nation's teens have been getting the wrong message about
marijuana. Youth popular culture has trivialized the real harm of marijuana
in kids," Walters said.

A common misperception is that smoking marijuana is less dangerous than
smoking a cigarette, said Surgeon General Richard Carmona. But marijuana
contains three to five times more tar and carbon monoxide than a comparable
amount of tobacco, he said. It also affects the brain in ways similar to
cocaine and heroin.

Carmona said that one out of five eighth-graders has tried marijuana -
twice as many who tried it a decade ago.

"Marijuana is not a rite of passage but a dangerous behavior that could
have serious health consequences. Parents must realize that what they tell
their children about drug use makes a difference," Carmona said.

Dr. Richard Corlin, former president of the American Medical Association,
urged parents, teachers, doctors and anyone else working with children to
stop sending conflicting signals.

"We must lead by example and not use marijuana ourselves or condone its use
by anyone of any age," he said.