NATIONAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVE

One of the most critical issues facing our communities is the issue of marijuana use among youth. More young people are now in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all other illegal drugs combined. Marijuana is the most abused illicit drug by youth 12-18 years of age. National influences on the perception of harm of marijuana use include humor/jokes on radio and television, Internet mis-information, music lyrics, and scenes in TV programming. One example of this negative influence on our youth is a popular radio station in San Diego that promotes the smoking of marijuana everyday at 4:20 pm. This promotion of the acceptance of marijuana to our youth is for the most part unknown to the parents of the community. Additionally, smoke shops posing as tobacco retailers, are selling marijuana paraphernalia in the stores which normalizes the acceptance of this gateway drug. This program will focus on a pilot program that will concentrate on the development of locally relevant strategies and materials to ready community coalitions with the ability to attack this problem.

The ongoing presentation of anti-drug media messages focusing on marijuana reduction to parents has made them more aware of the harm associated with the use of marijuana. The effectiveness of the media campaign is enhanced by the use of a "hands on" comprehensive research-based parenting and youth program giving them the management skills and information they need to effectively address their child's "no harm" attitude toward marijuana. The NMI adds an active parent/youth program component involving in-service learning opportunities using various community agencies helping to provide a more effective venue for changing the attitudes and actions toward marijuana.

Parents are the most influential people in a child’s formative years. We must capitalize on the dissemination of information and development of parent management skills as tools for marijuana reduction. Parents have the greatest interest, desire and need for success in stopping marijuana use by their child. Success will come from empowering parents through a focused grassroots parenting movement to stop marijuana use and help their child to becoming a healthy productive marijuana free adult.

The job of educating the communities rest with the support from the “prevention based” groups that see drug use is as equal a threat as the use of alcohol. Since marijuana is one of the most misunderstood and underestimated drugs of abuse.

The vision of the NMI and Community Alliances for Drug Free Youth is the value of multi-agency information sharing and coordination will increase dramatically over the next five years.