Survey: Teens Say Marijuana Easy To Get

AP

[WindMinstrel]

Few teenagers say they've tried marijuana, but teens say it's easier to buy than cigarettes or beer, according to a national survey. More than one-third of teens polled by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse said they could buy marijuana in just a few hours, 27 percent in an hour or less. For the first time since the study began in 1996, marijuana edged out cigarettes and beer as the easiest drug for teenagers to buy -- 34 percent said it's the easiest of the three, compared with 31 percent for cigarettes and 14 percent for beer.

Overall, however, 75 percent of students said they have not smoked marijuana.

The annual survey of 1,000 teenagers was being released Tuesday. It did not specify whether drugs are easy or difficult to buy at school, but 63 percent of students said their schools are "drug-free," nearly double the number who said the same in 1998.

Joel Willen, principal of Pershing Middle School in Houston, said teachers and administrators are seeing less drug activity.

"I think the kids are not bringing whatever it is they're doing, if they're doing it, to school," he said.

The school's drug-prevention programs, such as DARE, are paired with a get-tough policy on drugs that includes twice-yearly, random locker and backpack searches by drug-sniffing dogs, Willen said. Students caught using or selling drugs can be sent to an alternative school or even expelled.

"They know we take a real hard line on drugs," he said.

One in 12 students believes there's a teacher at their school who uses illegal drugs, according to the survey. A fourth of students said they've seen illegal drugs being sold at school, but a little more than half said they'd report someone they saw selling or using drugs, the highest level since 1996.

Gerald Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, said student drug use has been dropping for the past four or five years as communities began financing anti-drug programs.

"I think we're starting to see the fruition of some of those programs," he said.

More than half of students said they don't drink alcohol in a typical week, and about as many said they have never had a drink.

While one in four pupils said at least one parent smokes cigarettes, 69 percent said they have never smoked.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, by the time they complete high school, 47 percent of teenagers have smoked marijuana, 24 percent have used another illicit drug and 81 percent have drunk alcohol. The agency also estimates that 70 percent have smoked cigarettes.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, based at Columbia University, polls teenagers on drug use and the presence of drugs in schools. This year's random telephone survey of students age 12-17 was conducted December 27, 2001 to February 6, 2002, by QEV Analytics. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent age points.

[WindMinstrel]

bong

[stoney]

I'm a die hard conservative, but it's time to face the facts. Prohibition does not work. Didn't work in the 30's with alcohol. Doesn't work today with drugs. Or guns. Or prostitution. Or anything else. Making something illegal doesn't mean its not obtainable.

You can go to any city in the country with money in your pocket and within an hour or so, buy all of the above items you want. Making something illegal simply means the government has given up their ability to collect taxes on whater it is that they are prohibiting.

[Mr. Jeeves]

"I think the kids are not bringing whatever it is they're doing, if they're doing it, to school," he said.

"They know we take a real hard line on drugs," he said.

Principal Skinner lives.

[JediGirl]

The school's drug-prevention programs, such as DARE, are paired with a get-tough policy on drugs that includes twice-yearly, random locker and backpack searches by drug-sniffing dogs, Willen said. Students caught using or selling drugs can be sent to an alternative school or even expelled.

"They know we take a real hard line on drugs," he said.

And we all know how well DARE works!

[Wolfie]

Which teens? Where do they live? Do they need a ride?

[WindMinstrel]

So pot is easier than ever to get, but this fellow thinks people aren't bringing it in to school? He's either trying to pat himself on the back, or he's just plain deluded

[freedomson]

Drugs-r-bad, hmmmmm-kay

[wienerdog.com]

I don't think any of these upstanding students were somewhat less than accurate in ther survey responses, do you?

"I can get some weed within an hour, but I've never smoked it, and you can be sure I'd report any drug activity promptly. Giggle."

[WindMinstrel]

I had always thought the drugs are easy to get thing was just hyperbole on the part of the anti-WoDder's part. I asked my (highschool senior) daughter the other day, and she agreed that it was indeed the case. That's quite different than when I was in highschool.

Seems the biggest reason drugs were easier is because you don't need someone who's 21 to make the buy. The second biggest reason is that drugs are easier to hide in pockets and bookbags than booze is.

[steve50]

And the Dutch school kids rate of cannabis use is what compared to ours? And since the soft and harder drugs are seperated the hard drug use is what? No drug dogs running the halls of the Dutch schools. Our drug warriors sure gloss those figures over in a hurry.

I've had it with these guys,time to vote these fools out for good.

[Pern]

Which teens? Where do they live? Do they need a ride?

LMAO!!! No kidding, it's dry here in La.

[robertpaulsen]

D.A.R.E. does work. Stands for Drug-sniffing dogs And Random-search Enforcement.

[vin-one]

My senior daughter also is good friends with one girl who's boyfriend is now selling.
his mother cut's wifey's hair and she doesn't have a clue......
legalize it and get it out of the childrens hands......
legalize it and tax it,
legalize it and save the WOD money
I could go on all day....

[vin-one]

ask any teenager what DARE stands for, I did,
and the response was.
"Drugs are Really Expensive" and the reponse from the other daughter was "Drugs are really exciting"

yeah DARE works NOT........

[tacticalogic]

I thought it was Dogmatic Assimilation and Reprogramming Exercise.

[TC Rider]

Survey: Teens Say Marijuana Easy To Get

Step one: drive to MLK Blvd. in your home town.

[realpatriot71]

LOL - So very true my friend. When I was in high school a scant 9-8 years ago, we could get MJ anytime we wanted. Now if we wanted to pick up a 30 pack and a 1/5 of cheap liquor? Fugghetaboutit. Why? Because these products are only sold to "of age" individuals with the proper identification showing their age.

[realpatriot71]

La . . . Louisiana or Los Angeles?

[vin-one]

to big of words for today's publicly educated children.
remember they are supposed to feel good about themselves not learn anything.