LA Times Smacks Down Drug Czar's Anti-Pot Propaganda
I haven't always been impressed by the Los Angeles Times' coverage of marijuana policy, but I've got to give credit when it's due. This editorial properly devastates the drug czar's recent claim that medical marijuana advocacy has led to increased use among teens.
Even if a causal connection is discovered, though, it doesn't imply that the solution is to stop discussing legalization — as evidenced by the same National Institute on Drug Abuse survey that prompted Kerlikowske's comments.
Even as teen marijuana use is rising, tobacco and alcohol use is falling, according to the report, which found that 21.4% of high school seniors had smoked pot in the previous month and 19.2% had smoked tobacco — the first time since 1981 that marijuana was more popular than cigarettes. This may indicate that public health campaigns aimed at discouraging alcohol and tobacco use are working, and that similar campaigns aimed specifically at marijuana might be equally effective. There's little evidence that continued criminalization has discouraged teen drug use, but better education might.
It's not every day that the drug warriors send out a press release only to get picked apart and embarrassed by the editorial board of a major newspaper. That job is typically left to people like me.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
Who deserves credit for tobacco decline-- abortionists?
1. In Stephen Levitt's "Freakonomics" he notes that the decline in crime starting about 1988 (widely credited to "Crack down on pot" politicians like Giuliani who got most tobacco money of 2008 Pres. candidates) neatly coincides with when fetuses aborted since 1973 (Roe vs. Wade) would have been entering high-crime teen years had they survived. Therefore maybe we need not congratulate ourselves in the "success" of our anti-hot-burning-overdose-$igarette-addiction strategies since $igarette addiction and crime have similar roots in fetal unwantedness, unreadiness of a mother for parenting, or even impact of a mother's $igarette addiction on a fetus.
2. In the recent news cycle Kerlikowske commented on the 2-point decline (25.2% to 23.2%) in binge drinking, attributing it to "all our good work" (including law enforcement of course) instead of-- perish forbid-- to the increased access to cannabis which is giving some youngsters interested in Consciousness Management an alternative choice instead of alcohol.
Nice!
Many thanks for the newshawk, Scott. I left my comments Over There.
lets end the stupid war on cannabis and stop robbing people!
marijuana or more correctly CANNABIS should be as legal as lettuce
lets end the stupid war on cannabis and stop robbing people!
marijuana or more correctly CANNABIS should be as legal as lettuce
There is NO evidence, that
There is NO evidence, that criminalization is working in any measure .
Post new comment