cannabisnews.com: Are Cigarettes More of a Drag on Teens Than MJ?





Are Cigarettes More of a Drag on Teens Than MJ?
Posted by CN Staff on November 08, 2007 at 07:20:31 PT
By Lisa Stein 
Source: Scientific American 
USA -- Reefer madness? Apparently not, according to a new Swiss survey of students that concludes teenagers who smoke pot function better than those who also use tobacco.In addition, researchers at the University of Lausanne report in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, teens who only use marijuana are apparently more socially driven and have no more psychosocial problems than those who neither smoke nor toke.
The scientists surveyed 5,263 Swiss students (2,439 females) aged 16 to 20 years, including 455 who said they smoked weed only; 1,703 who reported being tobacco and marijuana users; and 3,105 who said they did not imbibe at all. "The gateway theory hypothesizes that the use of legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol) is the previous step to cannabis consumption," the authors wrote. "However, recent research also indicates that cannabis use may precede or be simultaneous to tobacco use and that, in fact, its use may reinforce cigarette smoking or lead to nicotine addiction independently of smoking status." Among their findings: Compared with students who reported using both drugs, those who smoked pot only were more likely to be male (71.6 percent versus 59.7 percent); get good grades (77.5 to 66.6 percent); play sports (85.5 to 66.7 percent); and live with both parents (78.2 to 68.3 percent). Cannabis-only smokers were also less likely than their cigarette-and-joint smoking brethren to have used other illegal drugs or to have been soused or have used pot more than twice in the previous 30 days, according to the study. In contrast to those who shunned both substances, the pot-only crowd was more likely to be male (71.6 to 47.7 percent); have a good relationship with friends (87 versus 83.2 percent); and play sports (85.5 versus 76.6 percent). They were less likely than the abstainers, however, to get along well with their parents (74.1 percent compared with 82.4). The researchers stressed that whereas students who smoked and toked seemed more prone to psychosocial problems, the marijuana-only users should not be dismissed. "Even though they do not seem to have great personal, family or academic problems," they wrote, "the situation of those adolescents who use cannabis but who declare not using tobacco should not be trivialized." Groups working toward the decriminalization of marijuana especially for medical purposes praised the findings. "Studies like this show associations, not cause and effect," says Bruce Mirken of the Washington, D.C.–based Marijuana Policy Project, a lobby that believes marijuana should be legalized but also regulated and taxed much like cigarettes and alcohol. "But the drug czar's office regularly uses associations between marijuana use and problems like poor grades to frighten parents into thinking that cause and effect is proven. So will [it] now say that smoking marijuana makes teens have better peer relationships and be more likely to participate in sports?" "No one wants to encourage teens to smoke marijuana," he adds, "but this study strongly suggests that the most serious problems for teens and parents isn't occasional marijuana use, but heavy use of multiple substances, which is likely a sign of kids who are seriously troubled and need help." Note: New study shows that adolescents who toke up function better than those who also use tobacco.Source: Scientific American (US)Author: Lisa Stein Published: November 7, 2007Copyright: 2007 Scientific American, Inc.Contact: editors sciam.comWebsite: http://www.sciam.com/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #6 posted by Dankhank on November 08, 2007 at 19:21:01 PT
MapInc letter ...
a more succinct letter on the topic of sanity in drug policy may never be written ...I immediately forwarded it to the local rag ...thanx for the link ...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by whig on November 08, 2007 at 14:00:04 PT
Sam Adams
I don't believe in the invisible hand of the market, I believe in regulation. I think cannabis should be regulated so that adults 21 and over can buy it safely.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on November 08, 2007 at 11:05:19 PT
Another
Whig - just imagine he's talking about Adam Smith and cannabis only, that is the point I was trying to make.  I've got a "cannabis first" attitude, but I like the point the guy was making. Let Adam Smith be the cannabis man. Here is another one, from Canada, I think it's interesting (and very sad) that big gang wars are starting to break out now, about 2 years after Canada's right-wing government came in and started to ratchet up sentencing.  This is the same thing that happened here in the late 70s and 80s, as the peaceful hippies that were running the MJ economy were driven out by huge prison sentences:http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1286/a07.html?1042
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by whig on November 08, 2007 at 11:00:18 PT
Sam Adams
I really disagree with that article and I don't understand why we would be talking about legalizing heroin when cannabis prohibition is the problem.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by sam adams on November 08, 2007 at 10:57:26 PT
Great article
I really liked this one-Let Adam Smith Be the Drug Pusherhttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1287/a08.html?1042
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by The GCW on November 08, 2007 at 07:46:59 PT
POLL - needs help.
POLL(I'm resubmitting this because it is doing so poorly in the poll...)Related story:US MD: Edu: DRUG BUST RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT SEARCHES OF STUDENTS' ROOMS AND SANCTIONS Pubdate: Fri, 02 Nov 2007 Source: Quindecim (MD Edu) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1285/a02.html?397-0--POLL-Do you think Goucher made the right decision in removing two students from housing who admitted to distributing marijuana?Yes No Undecided http://www.thequindecim.com/
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment