Posted on 09/10/2004 8:05:17 AM PDT by cryptical
Washington, DC: Three out of four illicit drug users in the United States are marijuana smokers, according to survey data released today by the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the department's annual "National Survey on Drug Use and Health," an estimated 19.5 million Americans currently use illicit drugs (as defined as use within the past month). Of these, 14.6 million - or 75 percent - self-identify as marijuana smokers.
By comparison, only 2.3 million Americans reported using cocaine, approximately one million reported using LSD, and fewer than 120,000 said that they currently use heroin.
In addition, an estimated 97 million Americans - slightly more than 40 percent of the US population age 12 or older - have used marijuana during their lifetimes, the study noted.
NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said that the prevalence of marijuana consumers compared to other illicit drugs begs for a change in the federal law. "Americans clearly delineate between the use of marijuana and the use of more dangerous substances like cocaine and heroin," he said. "Like the use of alcohol and tobacco, marijuana use is an acknowledged part of the American culture and economy. It is consumed by tens of millions of Americans, relatively few of which suffer significant deleterious health consequences due to their use. It is time for our public policies to reflect this reality and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco."
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of the NORML Foundation at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health is available online at:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm#NHSDAinfo
Are you accurately portraying his statement when you ask how marijuana is intrinsically more anti-family than alcohol?
Or, did sweet_taters simply say "drugs are anti-family"?
Nasty habit of yours -- twisting the poster's words.
OK. You've pushed this thread to the >500 mark. Report to Soros that your job is complete and have him send your check. No need to drag this on any further with your stupid, irrelevant, off-topic, misrepresentative ramblings.
He also declared that no conservative, Republican Christian would question the gateway theory. Somehow he managed to miss the fact that Raymond Shafer, who quite fits that description, and the Shafer Comission did exactly that.
He couldn't have meant by "drugs are anti-family" only that their use can get you arrested to the detriment of your family, because he offered that claim as a counterargument not to drug use but to an "open policy on drug use" (i.e. legalization).
The only people I've seen use that word are of the weasel type when they wish to avoid reality.
I never denied the reality that illegal drugs can get you arrested.
Are you accurately portraying his statement when you ask how marijuana is intrinsically more anti-family than alcohol?
It was not my intent to portray his statement at all. Is your foolish question an attempt to weasel out of answering mine?
I can't think of a fact he hasn't missed.
You took a general statement and twisted it into a drug-specific, hypothetical comparison to alcohol. Of course I won't answer it. I told you I'm tired of your trying to compare marijuana to alcohol -- I'm certainly not going to encourage it.
Drugs are anti-family. Argue that, if you wish, since it is you who wish all drugs to be legal and freely available at the 7-11.
Of course you are, as it exposes your insincerity in the "principles" you put forth in support of drug criminalization.
Drugs are anti-family. Argue that, if you wish
Not until I know if you really believe that ... does it also apply to the drug alcohol?
it is you who wish all drugs to be legal and freely available at the 7-11.
When did I say that?
"Dear Lord Snot:"
Wow, are we off our meds today?
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