cannabisnews.com: National Initiative Takes Aim at 





National Initiative Takes Aim at 
Posted by FoM on December 02, 1999 at 18:45:07 PT
Source: Reuters Health
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced Thursday that it has earmarked $54 million for research into Ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol and other so-called "club" or "party" drugs. The figure represents a 40% increase over past funding for such research.
In addition, NIDA has joined forces with four national organizations to launch a multimedia campaign aimed at educating teens, young adults, parents, and teachers about the dangers of using club drugs."Club drugs are not harmless 'fun drugs,"' Dr. Alan I. Leshner, NIDA director, said in a press release from the National Institutes of Health. "While users of club drugs may think they're taking them simply for energy to keep on dancing or partying, research shows these drugs can have long-lasting negative effects on the brain that can alter memory function and motor skills. When these drugs are combined with alcohol, they become even more dangerous and potentially life-threatening," he added.The NIDA, together with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, Join Together, and National Families in Action, has also launched a multimedia community outreach campaign to educate the public about club drugs."In addition to committing substantially more funds for much-needed research, we are using a multimedia education strategy that includes a specially-designed website: http://www.clubdrugs.org/ to get the word out across the country about the dangers of club drugs," Leshner said.As part of the campaign, some 330,000 free postcards will be distributed nationwide. According to the NIH, the postcards "feature brain scans showing the sharp difference in human brain function for an individual who has never used drugs and one who used Ecstasy many times." Published: December 2, 1999© 1999 Reuters Limited. Related Article:The Gatekeeper Hypothesishttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3316.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by Doctor Dave on December 02, 1999 at 21:16:12 PT
What _kind_ of research?
Is this going to be real research, or the kind of research that is set up to support the party line on the dangers of various drugs? The kind that is used to "justify" harsh penalties? The same kind that says marijuana is a dangerous drug that has no medical value?I'll be following this closely.Doctor Dave"A nation that makes war on huge numbers of its own people can never truly be free."
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