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Reefer Madness campaign aimed at parents as teens prepare for SAT
ONDCP | Yahoo! News | 10/4/2005

An estimated one and a half million high school students will take the Standardized Achievement Tests (SATs) this fall, beginning with thousands who will sit for the first round this academic year on Saturday, October 8. At this critical time in teens' academic careers -- as they look ahead to college and their futures -- the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and education and health leaders have partnered to launch an ad campaign targeting parents. An "Open Letter to Parents," titled "Marijuana Could Threaten Your Teen's Success," will begin appearing next week in national and local newspapers, including The New York Times and USA Today, as well as in Time, Newsweek and People magazines.

Fourteen health and education organizations across the country have signed on to the Open Letter, including: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Council on Education; American School Counselor Association; ASPIRA Association, Inc.; Balfour; Educational Testing Service; Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; National Association for Asian and Pacific American Education; National PTA; National Student Assistance Association; Partnership for a Drug-Free America; Students Against Destructive Decisions; United Negro College Fund; and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Go to: http://www.mediacampaign.org/mg/prin...arket_clr.html , to view the Open Letter.

While illicit drug use among teens is on the decline, marijuana is the most commonly used drug among 16- and 17-year-olds, the precise age at which most teens take their college entrance exams. And research shows that last year, 1.3 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana for the first time. That's about the same number of students who are expected to take the SATs this fall. Studies show that marijuana use during these peak academic years can have a significant negative impact on academic performance:

• Marijuana can hinder a teen's ability to learn. Heavy marijuana use impairs young people's ability to concentrate and retain information.
• Marijuana use is linked to poorer grades. A teen with a "D" average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an "A" average.
• Marijuana and underage drinking are linked to higher dropout rates. Students who drink or use drugs frequently are up to five times more likely than their peers to drop out of high school. A teenage marijuana user's odds of dropping out are more than twice that of a non-user.
• Teens who begin marijuana use at an early age when the brain is still developing may be more vulnerable to neuropsychological deficits, especially verbal abilities.

"Recent research does raise cause for alarm with regard to teen marijuana use and the negative effects on the adolescent body and brain," said Larry S. Fields, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and President of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "In fact, studies show that heavy marijuana use impairs a teen's ability to concentrate and retain information. And this is especially problematic during these peak learning and testing years."

"Together, parents and teachers can lay the foundation for raising healthy, drug-free students," said David Ward, President of the American Council on Education. "We need to protect future citizens and leaders. And we can only do this if we keep our kids away from drugs and help them focus on their academic futures."

Since its inception in 1998, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has conducted outreach to millions of parents, teens and communities to reduce and prevent teen drug use. Counting on an unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds with effective anti-drug messages. On the Media Campaign's Web site for parents, www.TheAntiDrug.com, visitors can read more about how marijuana affects the cognitive development of the teen brain. They can also learn more about the signs and symptoms of marijuana use in order to determine if their child is at risk and what to do if they are indeed using marijuana.

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troublemaker_42

Hmmmm....while being a potsmoking teenage alcoholic, I certainly was an exception to their science. I was an A- honor student, graduating 3rd or 4th in my high school class, with honors. Of course, I MUST be an exception, because the ONDCP would never exagereate their claims or lie to the public.....would they?

reggie_the_dog

i smoked pretty much every day junior year of high school and my lowest grade the entire year was an A-, i must be an exception too.

Dalamar49

Guess I'm in the same boat:

I received a letter yesterday proclaiming that I made the Dean's list for the fifth semester in a row, yet I smoke pot everyday.

I must be the exception that proves the rule.

vladimir

i think the wording is what is important here.
it is not saying that a student who has used marijuana is more likely to get a "D" average, but that students who ALREADY have a "D" average are more likely to use marijuana. (same with "A")
which makes sense since many of the people who don't care too much about school tend to hang out all day and smoke pot (as well as many other things).
this in no way says that pot causes lower grades.

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Enwolf

It may not say pot lowers your grades but it sure as well implied that it does.

Buzzby

What about normal marijuana use? You can always find extreme examples if you look for them. If you're an all-day stoner the short-term memory deficit we all get when we're stoned would make it kind of hard to learn anything.


I believe there's a correlation. I don't believe there's a causal connection. Poor students who aren't academically focused spend a lot less time studying than "A" students. They might well spend their excess time smoking pot and drinking. Did smoking and drinking cause their poor grades or did poor academic habits and attitude free them up to spend their time smoking and drinking?


See previous comment. Correlation is not causation. Also, I suspect that fewer "A" students are willing to admit that they smoke pot. They don't want to risk being cut off from federal college financial aid.


Marijuana causes brain damage - Myth #8

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Mamabudz

I look back at the list of Merit Scholarship winners from my school in 1980 ... all of us smoked ...together usually. I was the lightweight.

fight4rights

I had a 3.93 GPA. Took a few honor classes, got some scholarships, now I'm here at the college of my dreams. I did it all while being a marijuana smoker.

Still don't recomend smoking before classes or studying. I guess a few people might be able to get away with it, but it will be impossible to perform at your top level

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Tokamak

These claims about marijuana are, as you all know, bullsh*t. I was a high school valedictorian, and am currently working on my BA in psychology. I've never had a grade lower than a B in my life. Then again, I didn't try pot until I was in college, but I haven't suffered any drop in academic performance at all. Quite the contrary, actually...

That being said, however, I don't really find this ad as bad as most of the ONDCP propaganda, in that its basic message it to keep high schoolers from trying pot. I agree with this, at least as it compares to our laws about alcohol. Pot should be legal for those deemed old enough, which really should be 18, but I'd settle for 21.

Ironicly, I think if NORML signed this ad, albeit with reservations about the "scientific" claims being made, they might garner some good publicity in the public eye. NORML is against teen drug use, a fact that is often forgotten. If they endorsed this ad, people might begin to see NORML as a force for good and progress, looking out for the wellfare of children, rather than an organization for potheads. Think about it.

Peace.

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