SON IS MISINFORMED ABOUT MARIJUANA

Q My son has recently begun running around with some tough kids who have
introduced him to marijuana. He doesn't deny what he is doing because he
says it is harmless. Can you give me the facts?

A Your son has been given some very bad information that is being passed
around by those who are promoting the legalization of marijuana. It is a
lie. Dr. Harold Voth, the senior psychiatrist for the Menninger Foundation
in Topeka, Kan., has set the record straight.

He said, first, that five marijuana cigarettes have the same cancer-causing
capacity as 112 conventional cigarettes. Second, the part of the brain that
allows a person to focus, concentrate, create, learn and conceptualize at
an advanced level is still growing during the teen-age years. Continuous
use of marijuana over a period of time will retard the normal growth of
those brain cells.

Third, a study conducted at Columbia University revealed that female
marijuana smokers suffer a sharp increase in damage to DNA, the genetic
code. It was also found that reproductive eggs are especially vulnerable to
damage by marijuana. Fourth, a second Columbia University study found that
people who smoked a single marijuana cigarette every other day for one year
had a white blood cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus
damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to
infection and sickness. Smoking marijuana is a dangerous hobby.

I doubt if your son will be satisfied with this answer, even though you
should share it with him. His motivation is probably related more to peer
pressure than to his belief in the harmlessness of marijuana. The danger is
that he will "graduate" from pot to something harder and more addictive. If
I were you, I would bring all my energies to bear on getting my son away
from the gang he is now running with, even if it required us to move. He is
apparently at a critical juncture in his life.

QI just found out that I'm pregnant. When the doctor told me, he warned me
not to drink anything with alcohol in it until the child is born. I'm used
to having a few beers after work and I like a cocktail several times a
week. Is it really necessary for me to give up all alcohol until my baby
arrives?

AI urge you to heed the advice of your physician. That precious baby inside
of you could be severely damaged if you continue to drink in the next few
months. Your child could have what is known as "fetal alcohol syndrome,"
which can cause heart anomalies, central nervous system dysfunction, head
and facial abnormalities and lifelong behavior problems.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is also thought to be the leading cause of mental
retardation. It is a terrible thing to inflict on a child. Babies can be
harmed by alcohol in the blood of the mother at any time throughout
gestation, but they are especially vulnerable during the first trimester.
That's why you should not drink during the remaining seven months of your
pregnancy, but by all means, don't swallow a drop of alcohol right now.

You may remember the story of Samson in the Old Testament who terrorized
his enemies, the Philistines. Before he was born, an angel told his mother
that her child was destined for greatness, and that she must not weaken him
by imbibing strong drink while she was pregnant. Medical science has now
verified the wisdom of that advice. That's why a similar warning to
pregnant women is posted by law wherever liquor, beer or wine is sold.

For you, and for all pregnant women and those who anticipate becoming
pregnant, don't take chances with your babies' future. There is no level of
alcohol that is known to be safe. Abstain for the entire nine months. You
and your baby will be glad you did.