Cannabis News Stop the Drug War!
  Dutch Drug Policies Do Not Increase Marijuana Use
Posted by CN Staff on May 02, 2004 at 21:10:26 PT
By Jennifer McNulty 
Source: UC Santa Cruz 

cannabis In the first rigorous study comparing marijuana use in the Netherlands and the United States, researchers have found no evidence that decriminalization of marijuana leads to increased drug use. The results suggest that drug policies may have less impact on marijuana use than is currently thought.

The findings appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Craig Reinarman, professor of sociology at UCSC, coauthored the article, “The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco,” with Peter D. A. Cohen, director of the Centre for Drug Research (CEDRO) at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Hendrien L. Kaal, now an instructor at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.

The study compared the cannabis (marijuana and hashish) habits of users in Amsterdam and San Francisco to test the premise that punishment for cannabis use deters use and thereby benefits public health.

“We compared representative samples of experienced marijuana users to see whether the lawful availability of marijuana did, in fact, lead to the problems critics of the Dutch system have claimed,” said Reinarman. “We found no evidence that it does. In fact, we found consistently strong similarities in patterns of marijuana use, despite vastly different national drug policies.”

Highlights of the study include:

• The mean age at onset of use was 16.95 years in Amsterdam and 16.43 years in San Francisco.

• The mean age at which respondents began using marijuana more than once per month was 19.11 years in Amsterdam and 18.81 years in San Francisco.

• In both cities, users began their periods of maximum use about two years after they began regular use: 21.46 years in Amsterdam and 21.98 years in San Francisco.

• About 75 percent in both cities had used cannabis less than once per week or not at all in the year before the interview.

• Majorities of experienced users in both cities never used marijuana daily or in large amounts even during their periods of peak use, and use declined after those peak periods.

The Netherlands effectively decriminalized marijuana use in 1976, and it is available for purchase in small quantities by adults in licensed coffee shops; in the United States, marijuana use carries stiff criminal penalties, and more than 720,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses in 2001.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Dutch Ministry of Health.

In identical questionnaires administered in Amsterdam and San Francisco (cities chosen for their similarities as politically liberal northern port cities with universities and populations of roughly 700,000 people), nearly 500 respondents who had used marijuana at least 25 times were asked detailed questions about their marijuana use. The questionnaire explored such issues as age at first use, regular and maximum use, frequency and quantity of use over time, intensity and duration of intoxication, career use patterns, and use of other illicit drugs.

“In the United States, marijuana policy is based on the assertion that strict penalties are the best way to inhibit use,” said Reinarman.

The study’s findings cast doubt on that scenario, he said. Despite widespread lawful availability of cannabis in Amsterdam, there were no differences between the two cities in age at onset of use, age at first regular use, or age at the start of maximum use.

The study found no evidence that lawfully regulated cannabis provides a “gateway” to other illicit drug use. In fact, marijuana users in San Francisco were far more likely to have used other illicit drugs--cocaine, crack, amphetamines, ecstasy, and opiates--than users in Amsterdam, said Reinarman.

“The results of this study shift the burden of proof now to those who would arrest hundreds of thousands of Americans each year on the grounds that it deters use,” said Reinarman.

Complete Title: Dutch Drug Policies Do Not Increase Marijuana Use, First Rigorous Comparative Study Finds

Source: UC Santa Cruz (CA)
Author: Jennifer McNulty
Published: May 3, 2004
Copyright: 2004 The Regents, University of California
Website: http://www.ucsc.edu/
Contact: http://www.ucsc.edu/resources/feedback.asp

Related Articles & Web Site:

CEDRO
http://www.cedro-uva.org/

Dutch Authorities Oppose Tighter Drugs Law
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18743.shtml

Cabinet Moves To Ban Super-Strong Cannabis
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18614.shtml


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Comment #13 posted by rchandar on May 03, 2004 at 16:10:26 PT:

research proves that the dutch policy isn't bad
The Drug War is an evil attack on the rights and livelihoods of ordinary, taxpaying citizens. Only evil humans support the widespread arrest and incarceration of humans who have no means to contest or modify a super-evil system of judgment against the taxpayers...

we have to recognize this system as being an evil system, and one that only exploits and ruins lives that basically are not bad lives. Government tyranny--and that is what it is--must stop. The tactics of intimidation and extermination must stop. If they do not stop, hold the railings for all the judgment that will come on Judgment Day...

But the government is laughing at us. It is sitting around over whisky, praising one another and laughing out loud about the absolutely terrible and murderous policies that we are expected to support and obey. A murderous day in Hell for all these criminal politicians who line their pockets and laugh about their persecution of the innocent.

--rchandar

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by sukoi on May 03, 2004 at 15:06:49 PT
Walters on FOX
Jvthc,

I also saw the “interview” with Walters. I don’t know if you noticed this, but what I found interesting was the fact that the entire time that he was talking about heroin and cocaine (the bulk of the interview), ALL of the images shown were of cannabis! Hmm, I wonder why that is!!!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by jvthc on May 03, 2004 at 14:13:41 PT:

While at the same time.....
...Sorry to interrupt the (genuinely fascinating) history lesson, but I had something on the irony of a FOX newscast while at the same time this article appears....

Just the other day I saw JP Walters appear on FOX. Just prior to his appearance, FOX had a news release on the Netherlands, which I can't believe was simple coincidence. It touted the "days of coffe shops may be nearing an end." They claimed that the dutch are very concerned about potent marijuana, and have research to suggest psychological complications, such that it should be banned along with (and here comes Walter's favorite pairings) heroin and cocaine.

Then, Walters appears to tout the success of coca eradication in South America (claiming 30%, stating that should have an impact on availability over the next 12 months), and of the co-operation of Mexico's President Fox in the reduction of trafficing.

Then, this article represents the peer review of those ideas. They couldn't be more opposite in their general opinion.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by Jose Melendez on May 03, 2004 at 08:29:26 PT
Heavy. Got it. Wage peace.
The history of Mendel's heredity science demonstrates with a striking clarity the connection between the capitalistic science and all ideological corruption of the bourgeois society." 

Through a series of intrigues and highly politicized public “discussions�, he managed to destroy practically all of his opponents

More than 3000 biologists were fired, arrested, or executed

Nikolai Vavilov was disgracefully dismissed from the presidency of the Agriculture Academy in 1938 and died in prison in 1940

The genetic science in Russia was effectively destroyed until the death of Stalin in 1953

Despite successive failures, Lysenko remained in the leadership of biology and briefly regained the position of the President of the Academy during Khrushchev

    In "Fly lovers, human haters", a newspaper article (1949)

From the html version of the file http://www.physics.smu.edu/~olness/qnet/2003/lysenko.ppt

On http://www.amazon.com Search for:

Lysenko and the Tragedy of Soviet Science by Valery N. Soyfer, Leo Gruliow (Translator), Rebecca Gruliow (Translator)

http://home.wlu.edu/~goluboffs/260_syllabus_2004.html

- - -

"My job is to keep peace . . . so in the end of the day, it's peace for me that matters more, its the process that builds Afghanistan towards a more prosperous, lawful nation and it is that objective that I should keep in mind whether I accomodate or I remove."

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai

Current, former and potential Presidents, Kings, Queens and Policy Makers, please see also: http://pipepeace.com/terror/potusHint.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by kaptinemo on May 03, 2004 at 07:48:14 PT:

Thanks, Jose
But I was also attempting to impart the political fallout that happened by allowing that ignorant but politically connected peasent run Soviet biological sciences for so long.

Disagree with his State-supported theory - which, of course, in turn supported the State - and the best you could hope for was just losing your job. Be too vociferous, and the Gulag awaited. Or the simple act of becoming a 'non-person'...as in formerly being a person...as in formerly breathing. Bullets tend to change that status rather quickly, no?

The EXACT SAME KIND OF MINDSET has infected American sciences these past 3 decades regarding illicit drugs research, and it's gotten even worse these past 3 years under Herr Busch. If you question the Guv'mint's (ridiculous) claims about illicit drugs, you become outcasts.

Support it...and the trough door to the Federal slop chute of taxpayer-funded research grants opens wide and it's "Soooo-weeee! Sooo-weee! Heeeeeere pig, pig, pig!" time.

This is nothing less than the prostitution of science...and those willing to trade their credentials for Guv'mint pottage, (that's *swill*, folks) such as Leshner and Ricaurte demonstrably have, deserve the contempt of all real scientists and engineers.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #8 posted by Jose Melendez on May 03, 2004 at 06:36:27 PT
Re: comment #5
from: http://skepdic.com/lysenko.html

Lysenkoism refers to an episode in Russian science featuring a non-scientific peasant plant-breeder named Trofim Denisovich Lysenko [1898-1976]. Lysenko was the leading proponent of Michurianism during the Lenin/Stalin years. I. V.

Michurin, in turn, was a proponent of Lamarckism. Lamarck was an 18th century French scientist who argued for a theory of evolution long before Darwin. Lamarck's theory, however, has been rejected by evolutionary scientists because it is not nearly as powerful an explanation of evolution as natural selection.

According to Lamarck, evolution occurs because organisms can inherit traits which have been acquired by their ancestors. For example, giraffes find themselves in a changing environment in which they can only survive by eating leaves high up on trees. So, they stretch their necks to reach the leaves and this stretching and the desire to stretch gets passed on to later generations. As a result, a species of animal which originally had short necks evolved into a species with long necks.

Natural selection explains the long necks of the giraffes as a result of the workings of nature which allowed the species to feed off of the leaves which grow high on trees rather than graze as short-legged, short necked animals are prone to do. There was no purposive behavior which was a response to the environment which was then passed on to later generations.

There was simply an environment which included trees with leaves up high and that was a favorable food source to long-legged, long-necked animals such as the giraffe. In fact, according to natural selection, if that were the only food source available, only animals with long- necks, or animals which can climb or fly, would survive. All others would become extinct.

- - -

see also: "Remind the 'flip flop'* accusatory crowd that goals, ideas, ideals, laws and even species EVOLVE, despite and often DUE TO faith, wishes or prayer to the contrary, including alcohol and drug prohibitions. *(We may be barefoot, but stand our ground. -jm)"

http://www.marijuana.com/420/showthread.php?p=288235#post288235

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #7 posted by TroutMask on May 03, 2004 at 06:08:09 PT
Wrong answer!
Time for another study until we get the right answer.

-TM

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by Jose Melendez on May 03, 2004 at 04:08:12 PT
ATTENTION LAW ENFORCEMENT
" . . .(D)rug policies may have less impact on marijuana use than is currently thought."

"The study’s findings cast doubt on that scenario, he said. Despite widespread lawful availability of cannabis in Amsterdam, there were no differences between the two cities in age at onset of use, age at first regular use, or age at the start of maximum use.

The study found no evidence that lawfully regulated cannabis provides a “gateway” to other illicit drug use. In fact, marijuana users in San Francisco were far more likely to have used other illicit drugs--cocaine, crack, amphetamines, ecstasy, and opiates--than users in Amsterdam, said Reinarman. "

- - -

"Note: I have every reason, right and responsibity to undertake to resolve a matter as serious a challenge to the constitutionality of such fraudulently enacted, disproportionately enforced and demonstrably counter-productive criminal contraband statutes and any simultaneous, unreasonable, disingenuous or otherwise corrupted civil code enforcement, and do hereby and will continue to provide articulate, adequate and perpetual notice to the Government, all Persons and Corporations, here and elsewhere in print, video and audio, via public domain publications, records and broadcasting services, file sharing and internet streaming, word of mouth, peaceful assembly, Successful, Incontrovertible and Indisputable Oral and Written Argument, Ritual of Religious Sacrament, Petition, Boycott and Civil Disobedience in Just and Proper accordance with the history of this Nation and it's Founders and Citizens, and with the benefit of a fully developed factual record (to the extent necessary that any argument to the contrary is moot, and or otherwise must therefore include false statements, omissions of relevant material fact, perjury, fraud or otherwise frivolus litigation, opinions or commentary), and do seek and will require the sharpening of said issues at trial and invite or otherwise engage the reasoning, intellectual honesty, genuine and good behavior of any Uncompromised Judge or Judges in any Court without prejudice or conflict of interest, deference to anyone Corrupted by Sellers or Distributors of or the Use of far more harmful foods, supplements, medications or intoxicants and with equitable jurisdiction over such matters and Rights long and Historically deemed most Basic and Inviolable by our Constitutional and common Laws, and gifted to ALL of US on Earth by God our Creator and in Whose Most High Likeness we are Made by Holy, Natural and Unique Design, and HAVE Symbiotically and Verifiably through archeaological, microbial and elemental and otherwise scientific and legal evidence IN FACT Evolved with these Seed Bearing Plants that were Actually or by Ancient, Common, Statistical, True and International Understanding Gifted to Us for Our Use, as is Our Right, Skill, Ritual, Trade, Method of Pursuit of Happiness, Intellect, Relief, Worship, Defense or Sustenance, Tradition, Source of Energy, Policy, Construction Materials, Clothing, and Social or Individual Want or Need and Love. My thoughts are free."

http://pipepeace.com/z/



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on May 03, 2004 at 04:04:23 PT:

Another great study...to be ignored by Feds
The problem here is the rampant Lysenkoism being perpetrated by the US Federal government with regards to such research. Anything Uncle doesn't like to see or hear, he covers his eyes or sticks his fingers in his ears and hums real loud, hoping the offending truths will go away.

Rather like a small child does when reality intrudes upon their fantasy worldview.

The problem here is that the insularity of the extremists that have taken over this country's government runs so deep it's reflexive...and other countries have noticed this very much indeed. They've noticed the extent to which American science has been prostituted to serve political agendas. (The US's insistance on abstinence instead of 'family planning' be a UN goal is just a tiny example of this cultural insularity behind public policy being manifested.)

So when this study is ignored - as you can count on it being, given the fate of the WHO and IoM cannabis reports - the rest of the world will point to it as one more example of the dangers of letting politics dictate the bounds of science.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 02, 2004 at 21:52:26 PT
puff_tuff
Thank you for the links and cloud7 I hope some big papers pick this up over the next few days. It is important and we can hope. Actually we must hope.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by puff_tuff on May 02, 2004 at 21:41:46 PT
The Study
The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco

Abstract http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/5/836

Full Text http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/full/94/5/836

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #2 posted by cloud7 on May 02, 2004 at 21:29:11 PT
It is good news
If only this type of study would make bold headlines like every flimsily backed scare story.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 02, 2004 at 21:12:18 PT
This Is Good News
I always appreciate good news!

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