cannabisnews.com: Outside View: Marijuana Policy Fails Youth





Outside View: Marijuana Policy Fails Youth
Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2002 at 18:08:27 PT
By Paul Armentano
Source: United Press International
The anti-pot ads are back -- and with a vengeance. This fall marked the much-ballyhooed relaunch of the White House's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, made possible with a new five year, $875 million commitment from Congress. The decision to restart the campaign -- which has already spent some $2 billion in taxpayer dollars and matching funds to buy print and television ads demonizing marijuana -- came despite a federal review that found teens were more likely to use pot after seeing the government's public service announcements.
Reviewers called the results the worst ever recorded in the history of public health campaigns. So has the Drug Czar's office learned from their mistakes? From the looks of the Feds' most recent round of propaganda-laced ads -- the latest of which show two stereotypically stoned-out teens yukking it up until one accidentally shoots the other with his father's handgun -- the answer is no. It's too bad, because dissuading kids from using marijuana is one goal that the public can all agree on. The political debate hinges on how we strive to achieve it.The Drug Czar argues that by enacting stiffer penalties for pot and arresting adult marijuana users, we as a nation will dissuade children from trying the drug. History has shown this logic to be patently false.For example, federal studies have repeatedly found that teens living in states that have stopped arresting pot offenders do not use cannabis with any greater frequency than those who live in criminalized states.Federal arrest data offers similar implications. As annual arrests for marijuana soared to record levels in the 1990s, so did the number of teens experimenting with marijuana. Clearly, children are basing their decision regarding the use of marijuana on factors other than the law or the fear of arrest.Of course, this fact should come as little surprise to anyone who has studied drug policy. Studies from the United States, Canada and abroad find similar results -- noting that in virtually all cases, persons who have stopped using pot or never used it in the first place did so because of reasons other than the fact that marijuana is illegal.Most respondents site health concerns, anticipated or actual dislike of the drug, and family obligations as their chief reasons for abstaining. These studies also note that one's difficulty or ease obtaining pot has little influence on their decision to use it. So then, should we expect our government to admit the error of their ways? Don't count on it, since doing so would undermine the very foundation of our nation's drug policy. Instead, we can anticipate more billion-dollar ad campaigns pushing reefer madness rather than credible information. And we can anticipate teen drug use to continue to rise as a result.Fortunately, there is another way, and ironically, it's the Feds and public health officials that have shown it to us. Rather than stay the course, government officials ought to take a page from their more successful public health campaigns to discourage teen pregnancy, drunk driving, and adolescent tobacco smoking -- all of which have been significantly reduced in recent years.Our nation has not achieved these results by banning the use of alcohol and tobacco, or by targeting and arresting adults who use these products responsibly, but through honest, health and science-based education campaigns. Until the federal government applies these same common-sense principles to the responsible use of marijuana, both their ad campaigns as well as their national drug policy will inevitably be destined to fail. Regardless of which side of the drug war fence you sit on, that is sure to be disappointing news. -- Paul Armentano is a Senior Policy Analyst for The NORML Foundation in Washington, DC.A UPI Outside View column -- Outside View columns are written for UPI by outside writers who specialize in issues of public interest. From the Washington Politics & Policy DeskSource: United Press InternationalAuthor:  Paul ArmentanoPublished: December 04, 2002Copyright 2002 United Press InternationalWebsite: http://www.upi.com/ Contact: http://www.upi.com/about/contact.cfmRelated Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Gateway Effect of Marijuana Doubted http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14881.shtmlPaul Armentano: Reason for Skepticism http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13694.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on December 05, 2002 at 16:43:53 PT
afterburner
You didn't do anything wrong I just didn't understand. I never heard of only getting some email and not all that is sent. I got so much email and most of it spam that's why I had to stop getting email for CNews. It was making my computer not work well. I do receive email from a few news groups but I only read and never send any. Most of my computer problems in the past came from email viruses so I am very gun shy about email anymore. I'm looking forward to seeing the O'Reilly Factor tonight. It's going to be on soon.
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Comment #11 posted by afterburner on December 05, 2002 at 16:20:59 PT:
Caging Statistics.
Some of the postings have CN Staff highlighted with a link to the letter email of the source of the article. Obviously, this is not the former link to cannabisnews. I have previously spoken with Paul Armentano of NORML regarding drug law reform. He sent a reprint of a High Times article on the UN Treaties. I would like to get some more detailed arrest/caging statistics to counter the prohibitionists' argument that people are no longer being jailed. However, my email is available only about 1 in 10 tries, if that. I didn't want to post Richard's email with out his consent. I mistook the CN Staff link for the info link that once appeared on cannabisnews website. Sorry, if I overstepped the boundaries of proper debate. I'm just trying to collect information that will strengthen the caging argument. (Statistics on caging as the result of urine tests would also be welcome.) If I can get my email going and Paul sends any caging statistics, I'll be sure to post them or their link.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on December 05, 2002 at 08:19:48 PT
South Park
We watched South Park last night. It was good and the message I got out of it is be honest with your children about drugs. They don't want to be lied too. They want the truth. 
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Comment #9 posted by The GCW on December 05, 2002 at 08:09:36 PT
Afterburner,
When You try to count citizens caged for simple cannabis use, be sure to count the citizens who are in the cages BECAUSE THEY FAILED A URINE TEST, FOR CANNABIS, while on probation or perole. That is as good as caging someone for simple cannabis use too.Those numbers are significant. Revocation of probation and perole may be a way prohibitionists have gotten around the cannabis laws that have become more tolerant. Count them. 
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Comment #8 posted by Darwin on December 05, 2002 at 07:03:19 PT
South Park
I saw it last night and thought it was great. The entire plot was based on the shortsightedness of lying to kids about drugs. I did'nt even mind the comment about "It makes you OK with being bored". This is a cartoon that kids watch and there are reasons to not smoke pot. Without some type of comment like this, they probably couldn't get the thing aired. All in all, they got their message accross and its one we endorse. That lying to kids about drugs is counterproductive.
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Comment #7 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on December 05, 2002 at 05:56:29 PT
Anyone see South Park this week?
Not their best effort, but light year better than last week's "worst episode ever". This week's episode starts with the kids standing around staring at a joint which was left there by some careless older student. (Only users lose drugs!) Nobody wants to touch it because they are terrified of what they see in the ONDCP's ads - "I don't want to become a terrorist!", and suchlike. The whole episode is about how adults will lie and lie and lie to kids to keep them from experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and how it can backfire. The only part I didn't like is near the end, when Stan's parents tell him the real reason they don't want him smoking pot - something like "It makes you OK with being bored, and you won't go out and learn any new skills, and eventually you'll realize you aren't good at anything." Like the guys who make South Park never sparked one. Yeah, sure. They turned out OK. So did Carl Sagan, Jack Nicholson, and even that man who won the election, Al Gore. A bit of negative stereotyping, but I did like their treatment of the issue of lying to kids. A mixed episode, IMO - but at least Mr. Slave is nowhere to be seen... or Towelie, for that matter. While I am glad that every episode now has a brief shot of a bong hit in the opening montage, I did think Towelie was the epitome of every negative stereotype about cannabis users, and I also thought he was the worst character ever... until last week, that is.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on December 04, 2002 at 22:27:52 PT
p4me 
That is so nice that you keep up with alexa. I have been looking at different web sites recently on Alexa. I never noticed the traffic link before. I find that feature interesting because it seems to be accurate and shows the ups and downs that occur on a news site or any site. I didn't really understand what alexa does but the traffic link makes sense to me. Maybe by Christmas! This is the slowest season we have between election time and up until after Christmas and we are going along better then last year so people must still have a little hope. I know I do.
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Comment #5 posted by p4me on December 04, 2002 at 22:22:18 PT
Alexa cannabisnews rating
I was wondering how long Cannabisnews.com could keep rising in its rating at Alexa.com. On 11/23 it was rated at 53,951. It is now listed at 52,318. I wonder if we can break 50,000 by Christmas?1
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on December 04, 2002 at 21:56:53 PT
afterburner
I was wondering about the email you mentioned. Is that your email? I don't have any email for CNews anymore so it confused me a little. Isn't that a newspaper? 
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Comment #3 posted by afterburner on December 04, 2002 at 21:35:44 PT:
Arrest Statistics
Paul Armentano-As a member of the Cannabis News community I request information regarding the number and percentage of cannabis users who are still being incarcerated, or caged, for cannabis use and/or possession. Many here are convinced that the punishment does not fit the crime, if in fact it should be a crime. However, the success of NORML and other drug reform groups in decriminalizing cannabis in some states and cities has been twisted by the prohibitionists against us. They claim that no one is being arrested for possession. I find this highly suspect. Hence, the need for more detailed statistics on a state-by-state and national level. The statistics at your NORML site http://www.norml.org/ are interesting, but do not address the caging rate. Please send any appropriate information to: CN Staff news athensnews.com (my own email is very unreliable).ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on December 04, 2002 at 18:35:43 PT
The failure to youth is so bad...
that You wonder if that is their goal.It is only dysfunctional prohibitionists that are hungry to cage their brother for using a plant.Prohibitionist government is the worst terrorist in America today. They are unreasonable, discredited and should be stopped from caging humans for using a plant.I have zero respect for zero's that cage their brother for using a plant.Man of Lawlessness & the Sin of the Priest should be controlled like rabies.
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Comment #1 posted by p4me on December 04, 2002 at 18:24:03 PT
What is with UPI?
Isn't UPI as Moonie as the Washington Times? It is like federal prohibition is a man walking around with his zipper down and everyone else is wondering how long it will take him to catch on to the error of his ways. I wonder if UPI is concerned about the errors of their ways or upset about not getting in on the media bribery. This article has a significance to it.1
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