Is America Blind To Marijuana?

A report by the Office Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) gave its largest-ever compilation of data relating to marijuana.

"Though overall use is down, marijuana addiction is on the rise," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab GA. "More and more people are getting help for marijuana addiction because the concentrations of THC in marijuana samples are at an all-time high.

"Narconon Drug Rehab GA is concerned that without proper education, people are becoming marijuana addicts, and this needs to be prevented.

"Marijuana came to represent love and peace in the 60s and has never quite lost that image but this is far from the truth. Anyone who uses marijuana regularly is more likely to engage in aggressive and violent behavior, cause trouble at school and destroy property.

"Violence at a global level is connected with marijuana trafficking. In California, Mexican drug trafficking organizations, with high-powered assault weapons, control the marijuana fields, not peace-loving flower children with their beads. Criminal groups operating from Mexico promote their version of love and peace through torture, executions and other acts of violence.

"Marijuana is not harmless, contrary to common misconception. The use of marijuana can lead to health, safety, learning and social problems and abuse of other harmful drugs. Marijuana is more potent than it used to be, increasing the problems."

The 2008 Marijuana Sourcebook contains important data on marijuana in the United States including the latest use patterns and trends, health effects, criminal justice aspects, supply sources, and information regarding so-called “medical marijuana.” The publication draws from a wide variety of national scientific and research-based data sources.

“Marijuana is the blindspot of drug policy,” said John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “Baby Boomers have this perception that marijuana is about fun and freedom. It isn't. It's about dependency, disease, and dysfunction. As the data released today reveal, marijuana is a much bigger part of our Nation's addiction problem than most people realize. While teen marijuana use is down sharply, adult use, with all the social, economic, and health consequences that go along with it, will not improve until we start being more honest with ourselves about the seriousness of this drug. Too many of us are in denial, and it is time for an intervention.”  

Recent marijuana data reveals the following:

The great majority of males arrested for any violation in America have drugs in their system at the time of arrest, with marijuana being the most often detected. The rate testing positive for marijuana ranged from a third to more than a half of all male arrestees at the time of arrest. Further, marijuana is the drug most likely to be reported by arrestees when asked about lifetime, prior year, and recent (prior 30 days) drug use. (Source: An analysis of 10 major U.S. cities, Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring System (ADAM), 2003).

High potency of marijuana may be contributing to a substantial increase in the number of American teenagers in treatment for marijuana dependence.  According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), one in four 12-17-year-olds who report using marijuana in the past year display the characteristics of abuse or dependency. For younger users, the risk of marijuana abuse or dependency exceeds that for alcohol or tobacco.

Rates of marijuana use among young people have declined substantially since 2001. Since that time there has been a 25 percent drop in the number of teens using the drug. (Monitoring the Future, 2007)

Emergency department episodes involving marijuana almost tripled from 1994 to 2002. Marijuana steadily increased over that decade, surpassing heroin – which remained relatively flat – in 1998. (SAMHSA Drug Abuse Warning Network)

*Source: ONDCP

For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation or drug education, call Narconon of Georgia Drug Rehab at 1-877-413-3073.
  
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