cannabisnews.com: Bush Asserts Declining Teen Drug Use; Reports Vary





Bush Asserts Declining Teen Drug Use; Reports Vary
Posted by CN Staff on December 11, 2008 at 06:22:10 PT
By Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer
Source: Associated Press
Washington, DC -- President George W. Bush claims a national decline in teen drug use during his tenure, but enormous challenges remain in convincing young people about the dangers of marijuana and other illicit substances.At the White House on Thursday, the president was surrounding himself with leaders in drug prevention and people in recovery, including Josh Hamilton, a star baseball player for the Texas Rangers who has battled through addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
Bush, the former co-owner of the Rangers, has spoken openly about his old drinking habit, saying, "I understand addiction." The 62-year-old president gave up drinking after his 40th birthday.The presidential event is timed to the release of data from three studies. One examines drug use among teenagers; the others detail cocaine use.The president's main message: Overall drug use among youths is down 25 percent since 2001, when he took office. That figure is based on the new "Monitoring the Future" study by the University of Michigan, a yearly report that looks at the behavior of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders nationwide.The other part of Bush's theme, based on two other data sets, is success in targeting cocaine. Bush's Office of National Drug Control Policy says the research suggests the supply and the purity of street-level cocaine is dropping, fueled in part by U.S. interdiction efforts with countries such as Mexico.But there are troubling signs, too, including carefree attitudes among young people about marijuana and a shift to prescription medicine as a drug of choice. Independent anti-drug experts say that even the progress during the Bush years is deeply mixed. Reports vary, and huge numbers of kids still use drugs.The Michigan survey found 10.9 percent of eighth-graders, 23.9 percent of 10th-graders, and 32.4 percent of 12th-graders reported using marijuana over the past year. It also found that the proportion of eighth-graders who considered smoking marijuana to be harmful was going down.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Ben Feller, Associated Press WriterPublished: Thursday, December 11, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Associated Press CannabisNews ONDCP Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/ONDCP.shtml
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Comment #18 posted by Natasha on December 18, 2008 at 06:39:04 PT:
...
Boy am I glad Bush is not our president anymore... seriously...www.momslom.com
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Comment #17 posted by rchandar on December 17, 2008 at 20:32:36 PT:
Re: To Bush and those who support the WOD
F#$k 'em, F#$k 'em, F#$k 'em.
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on December 13, 2008 at 14:54:49 PT
OverwhelmSam 
I don't know about him but many people don't want the laws changed on marijuana for different reasons. People that will lose money aren't into changing the laws. When it is really treated like other medicinal herbs there won't be much of a market for those who depend on it staying expensive.
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Comment #15 posted by OverwhelmSam on December 13, 2008 at 14:33:38 PT
Rezko Trumps Pot?
I've been reading a little about Rezko's influence in the Illinois Governor's office, and it occurred to me that the mafia may also be involved in directly influencing politicians to keep it illegal, so they can make money on it. Yeah, that's the ticket.
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Comment #14 posted by Vincent on December 13, 2008 at 08:47:34 PT:
Casual attitudes towards Marijuana is disturbing?!
Who is this Ben Fuller of AP, and who elected him the arbiter of what is "disturbing"? So this knucklehead who probably never smoked a joint in his life, is disturbed that young people don't believe all the lies that come out of the mouths of these anti-marijuana zealots, is he. Well that's too damn (and I don't mean darn!) bad! These weirdos had twenty-eight years to spread their garbage and people are finally waking up and seeing thru all of their BULL. The truth of the Seventies is coming back, thank God. 
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on December 13, 2008 at 06:38:48 PT
The GCW
I hope the era of the current administration is over for many years. 
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Comment #12 posted by The GCW on December 12, 2008 at 21:43:56 PT
The countdown.
Bush's last day is on The Boulder Weekly's front page,RIGHT DOWN TO THE SECOND. http://www.boulderweekly.com/?site_id=619
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Comment #11 posted by Yanxor on December 12, 2008 at 20:18:13 PT
25% Decrease in Teen Drug Use!?
Hurray, the drug war has been won.Mission Accomplished. 
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on December 12, 2008 at 10:10:05 PT
Downward Trend In Teen Marijuana Use Slows
December 12, 2008http://www.kirotv.com/health/18264348/detail.html
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Comment #9 posted by OverwhelmSam on December 12, 2008 at 02:34:00 PT
25% Fewer Teens Report Using Drugs
Whatever.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on December 11, 2008 at 13:50:55 PT
Bush Highlights Record Reducting Drug Use
 December 11, 2008 Washington, DC -- President George W. Bush says his administration has "laid the foundation" for successfully fighting drug abuse in the country.Bush highlighted his 8-year record at a White House event today with law enforcement, religious leaders and 1 of baseball's most famous comeback stories - Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, who is a recovering addict.Bush focused on a 25% drop in overall drug use among youths since he took office in 2001.But while that percentage is down, the progress during the Bush years has been mixed. One study by the University of Michigan out today finds modest changes from last year. But it also suggests young people's attitudes about marijuana are becoming more carefree.Other evidence suggests a shift to prescription medicine as a drug of choice.Copyright: 2008 The Associated Presshttp://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9506566&nav=menu36_2
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on December 11, 2008 at 12:28:09 PT
fight_4_freedom
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year just a little early. It has been busy for us too. Enjoy the holidays. I think I am almost done with shopping. At least I hope so. lol
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Comment #6 posted by fight_4_freedom on December 11, 2008 at 11:32:22 PT
Happy Holidays to You FoM
And to the rest of you at C-News as well. We are finally digging out the Christmas tree later today after we go and put a wreath on my Father's grave.Christmas has really seemed to creep up on me. Only two weeks away now and I still have to do all my shopping. But last minute Christmas shopping is an annual thing for me, nothing new :)But now with my Sister, her husband, and their kids living out in California, I have to do some shopping ahead of time. I'll probably do that tomorrow.Been working a lot so it'll be nice to have today and tomorrow off. I haven't really been keeping up on all the news like I usually do. I'm going to go check out the proposed rules for our mmj law right now.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 11, 2008 at 10:51:29 PT
Just a Note
I hope everyone is having a nice holiday season. Right now we are in this state of limbo. We're stuck between the outgoing and incoming administration. People aren't commenting much and it is very understandable because there really isn't much to say right now. Our view hits of articles are way up though so hang on soon we will have a brand new chance to bring change.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on December 11, 2008 at 10:11:53 PT
Just a Comment
I'm so glad that this administration is almost over. I'm looking forward to the new administration.
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on December 11, 2008 at 10:00:00 PT
'I understand addiction"
he understands it alright - he gets a slap on the wrist and the brown people get prison.Teenage drug use is down? I guess that's because his daughters are over 20 now.
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Comment #2 posted by HempWorld on December 11, 2008 at 09:35:20 PT
"enormous challenges remain in convincing young
people about the dangers of marijuana"I agree, that is an enormous challenge, much like convincing people that water is more dangerous than marijuana, except that the latter is a scientific truth and the former is a bold faced lie!
On a mission from God!
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on December 11, 2008 at 07:27:04 PT
No shame, all pride and no substaance!
Everything I've read says that teen pot use is down in Med-marijuana states.Also he didn't say that as pot is unavailable, teens turn to nasty chemical drugs approved by the FDA and that they will kill you.It is pretty bad when the best thing you can say for Johnny Pee and the Chimp is they are disingenuous at best.
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