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National Drug Use Among Teens on the Decline
01.14.07|the-signal.com|Jessica Marks

A recent study released by the National Drug Control Policy and President Bush's "Drug Czar" stated that American teenage drug use is down drastically - a report that does not accurately portray Santa Clarita teens, anti-drug officials said.

The number of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students claiming to use drugs like marijuana and methamphetamines went down 23 percent, equal to roughly 840,000 fewer youth using illicit drugs nationwide in 2006 than in 2001, according to the report.

"There has been a substance abuse sea change among American teens," John Walters, director of national Drug Control Policy, said in a statement. "They are getting the message that dangerous drugs damage their lives and limit their futures."

The report relied on data complied by the University of Michigan's 2006 "Monitoring the Future" study released on Dec. 21.

The report also found an approximate 33 percent drop in steroid use among teens and a 50 to 66 percent drop in hallucinogens like Ecstasy and LSD.

While Walters credited anti-drug media campaigns with deterring teens, those statistics are nonsense, said Cary Quashen, director and founder of ACTION - a Santa Clarita Valley nonprofit organization that provides substance abuse and crisis counseling.

"I think they bumped their heads," he said. "That's ridiculous."

In his opinion, teenage marijuana use has exploded in popularity around Santa Clarita, making it one of the most emotionally addictive drugs available today.

"Marijuana is so powerful. People say it's not addictive, but I could pack a whole auditorium with people telling you otherwise," he said.

There is even evidence to support the idea that marijuana is physically addictive as patients have complained of difficulty sleeping, headaches and anxiety attacks when they have tried to quit, he added.

However, these days, fewer local teenagers are using methamphetamines, commonly referred to as "crystal meth" - opting instead to try prescription drugs or cocaine to get high, Quashen said.

 

Buzzby

The real question is, why would anyone believe the self-serving statements of a government organization that has demonstrated over and over again that it is much more interested in disseminating propaganda than in telling the truth?

Translation: "Marijuana is very enjoyable and has few negative aspects other than its illegality."

How hard would it be to pack an auditorium with people willing to blame their lack of will power on something outside themselves? I could pack an auditorium with fat people happy to blame their obesity on the addictive power of Twinkies.

At worst, the withdrawal symptoms from giving up heavy marijuana use are milder than those of giving up your daily five cups of coffee. And coffee is much worse for you physically.

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Bizkit

Well i am one of those high schoolers, and i am proud to say that im not going to claim something harmless like weed "Is a powerful and emotionally addicting drug". In fact, ide hate to see where i would be without its therapudic effects. As for the withdrawl symptoms, ive experienced none anytime i am forced to quit.