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myths &

FACTS

The Truth Behind

10 Popular Misperceptions

OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.............................................................................. 1

Myth #1: Marijuana is harmless.......................................... 3

Myth #2: Marijuana is not addictive ................................... 7

Myth #3: Marijuana is not as harmful to your health 

as tobacco............................................................. 9

Myth #4: Marijuana makes you mellow............................. 10

Myth #5: Marijuana is used to treat cancer and

other diseases...................................................... 11

Myth #6: Marijuana is not as popular as MDMA (Ecstasy) 

or other drugs among teens today...................... 13

Myth #7: If I buy marijuana, I’m not hurting 

anyone else......................................................... 14

Myth #8: My kids won’t be exposed to marijuana............. 17

Myth #9: There’s not much parents can do to stop their

kids from experimenting with marijuana........... 19

Myth #10: The government sends otherwise innocent 

people to prison for casual marijuana use......... 21

Conclusion.............................................................................. 23

Glossary.................................................................................. 25

References............................................................................... 27

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INTRODUCTION

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (formerly

called the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse), 95 million

Americans age 12 and older have tried “pot” at least once, and three out

of every four illicit­drug users reported using marijuana within the

previous 30 days.1

Use of marijuana has adverse health, safety, social, academic,

economic, and behavioral consequences. And yet, astonishingly, many

people view the drug as “harmless.” The widespread perception of

marijuana as a benign natural herb seriously detracts from the most basic

message our society needs to deliver: It is not OK for anyone—especially

young people—to use this or any other illicit drug.

Marijuana became popular among the general youth population in

the 1960s. Back then, many people who would become the parents and

grandparents of teenage kids today smoked marijuana without

significant adverse effects, so now

they may see no harm in its use.

But most of the marijuana

available today is considerably other drugs usually

Use of marijuana and

peaks in the late teens

and early twenties, then

declines in later years.77

more potent than the “weed” of

the Woodstock era, and its users

tend to be younger than those of

past generations. Since the late

1960s, the average age of

marijuana users has dropped from

around 19 to just over 17. People are also lighting up at an earlier age.

Fewer than half of those using marijuana for the first time in the late

1960s were under 18. By 2001, however, the proportion of under­18

initiates had increased to about two­thirds (67 percent).2

Today’s young people live in a world vastly different from that of

their parents and grandparents. Kids these days, for instance, are

bombarded constantly with pro­drug messages in print, on screen, and

on CD. They also have easy access to the Internet, which abounds with

sites promoting the wonders of marijuana, offering kits for beating drug

tests, and, in some cases, advertising pot for sale. Meanwhile, the

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prevalence of higher potency marijuana, measured by levels of the

chemical delta­9­tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is increasing. Average

THC levels rose from less than 1 percent in the mid­1970s to more

than 6 percent in 2002. Sinsemilla potency increased in the past two

decades from 6 percent to more than 13 percent, with some samples

containing THC levels of up to 33 percent.3

Many people who worry about the dangers of heroin or cocaine are

less concerned about marijuana, or they consider experimentation with

pot an adolescent rite of passage. Such attitudes have given rise to a

number of myths in the popular culture. Movies, magazines, and other

media commonly show glamorous images and gratuitous use of

marijuana, trivializing the risks and ignoring any negative

consequences. At the same time, special­interest groups proclaim that

smoked marijuana is not only harmless, it’s actually good medicine.

Marijuana Myths & Facts looks at 10 popular misperceptions about

marijuana and, using the latest research findings and statistical

information, explains why they are wrong. The booklet describes the

dangers of marijuana and why it is important for society to send a

clear, consistent, and credible message to young people about the

seriousness of the threat.

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Marijuana harms in many ways, and kids are the most vulnerable to

its damaging effects. Use of the drug can lead to significant health,

safety, social, and learning or behavioral problems, especially for young

users. Making matters worse is the fact that the marijuana available

today is more potent than ever.

Short­term effects of marijuana use include memory loss, distorted

perception, trouble with thinking and problem­solving, and anxiety.

Students who use marijuana may find it hard to learn,4 thus jeopardizing

their ability to achieve their full potential.

COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

That marijuana can cause problems with concentration and thinking

has been shown in research funded by the National Institute on Drug

Abuse (NIDA), the

federal agency that brings

the power of science to

bear on drug abuse and

addiction. A NIDAfunded study at McLean

Hospital in Belmont,

Massachusetts, is part of

the growing body of

research documenting

cognitive impairment

among heavy marijuana users.5 The study found that college students

who used marijuana regularly had impaired skills related to attention,

memory, and learning 24 hours after they last used the drug.

Another study, conducted at the University of Iowa College of

Medicine, found that people who used marijuana frequently (7 or more

MYTH 1 Marijuana is harmless.

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of D or below were more than

4 times as likely to have used

marijuana in the past year as

youths who reported an

average grade of A.78

MARIJUANA FACTS

Youths with an average grade
times weekly for an extended period) showed deficits in mathematical

skills and verbal expression, as well as selective impairments in

memory­retrieval processes.6 These findings clearly have significant

implications for young people, since reductions in cognitive function

can lead to poor performance in school.

Other impairments observed in frequent marijuana users involve

sensory and time perception and coordinated movement, suggesting

use of the drug can adversely affect driving and sports performance.7

Effects such as these may be especially problematic during teens’ peak

learning years, when their brains are still developing.

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

Smoking marijuana leads to changes in the brain similar to those

caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol.8 All of these drugs disrupt the

flow of chemical neurotransmitters, and all have specific receptor sites

in the brain that have been linked to feelings of pleasure and, over

time, addiction. Cannabinoid receptors are affected by THC, the active

ingredient in marijuana, and many of these sites are found in the parts

of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration,

sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.9

Particularly for young people, marijuana use can lead to increased

anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other mental health problems.

One study linked social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, attention

problems, and thoughts of suicide in adolescents with past­year

marijuana use.10 Other research shows that kids age 12 to 17 who

smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely than non­users to

have thoughts about committing suicide.11 A recently published

longitudinal study showed that use of cannabis increased the risk of

major depression fourfold, and researchers in Sweden found a link

between marijuana use and an increased risk of developing

schizophrenia.12

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine,

addiction and psychiatric disorders often occur together. The latest

National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that adults who use

illicit drugs were more than twice as likely to have serious mental

illness as adults who did not use an illicit drug.13

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Researchers conducting a longitudinal study of psychiatric disorders

and substance use (including alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs)

have suggested several possible links between the two: 1) people may

use drugs to feel better and alleviate symptoms of a mental disorder; 2)

the use of the drug and the disorder share certain biological, social, or

other risk factors; or 3) use of the drug can lead to anxiety, depression,

or other disorders.14

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Marijuana also harms when it contributes to auto crashes or other

incidents that injure or kill, a problem that is especially prevalent

among young people. In a study reported by the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, even a moderate dose of marijuana was

shown to impair driving performance. The study measured reaction

time and how often drivers checked the rear­view mirror, side streets,

and the relative speed of other vehicles.15

Another study looked at data concerning shock­trauma patients

who had been involved in traffic crashes. The researchers found that 15

percent of the trauma patients who were injured while driving a car or

motorcycle had been smoking marijuana, and another 17 percent had

both THC and alcohol in their blood.16 Statistics such as these are

particularly troubling in light of recent survey results indicating that

almost 36 million people age 12 or older drove under the influence of

alcohol, marijuana, or another illicit drug in the past year.17

LONG­TERM CONSEQUENCES

The consequences of marijuana use can last long after the drug’s

effects have worn off. Studies show that early use of marijuana is

strongly associated with later use of other illicit drugs and with a

greater risk of illicit drug dependence or abuse.18 In fact, an analysis of

data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse showed that

the age of initiation for marijuana use was the most important

predictor of later need for drug treatment.19

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Regular marijuana use has been shown to be associated with other

long­term problems, including poor academic performance,20 poor job

performance and increased absences from work,21 cognitive deficits,22

and lung damage.23 Marijuana use is also associated with a number of

risky sexual behaviors, including having multiple sex partners,24

initiating sex at an early age,25 and failing to use condoms consistently.26

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MYTH 2 Marijuana is not addictive.

It was once believed that marijuana was not addictive; many people

still believe this to be the case. But recent research shows that use of

the drug can indeed lead to dependence. Some heavy users of

marijuana develop withdrawal symptoms when they have not used the

drug for a period of time.

Marijuana use, in fact, is often associated with behavior that meets

the criteria for substance dependence established by the American

Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Disorders (DSM­IV). Considered the standard reference for

health professionals who make psychiatric diagnoses, the DSM

contains information about all mental disorders for children and adults.

As described in the DSM, the criteria for substance dependence

include tolerance (needing more of the substance to achieve the same

effects, or diminished effect with the same amount of the substance);

withdrawal symptoms; using a drug even in the presence of adverse

effects; and giving up social, occupational, or recreational activities

because of substance use.27 According to the 2002 National Survey on

Drug Use and Health, 4.3 million Americans were classified with

dependence on or abuse of marijuana. That figure represents 1.8

percent of the total U.S. population and 60.3 percent of those classified

as individuals who abuse or are dependent on illicit drugs.28

The desire for marijuana exerts a powerful pull on those who use it,

and this desire, coupled with withdrawal symptoms, can make it hard

for long­term smokers to stop using the drug. Users trying to quit

often report irritability, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.29 On

psychological tests they also display increased aggression, which peaks

approximately one week after they last used the drug.30

Many people use marijuana compulsively even though it interferes

with family, school, work, and recreational activities. What makes this

all the more disturbing is that marijuana use has been shown to be

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three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than

among adults.31 Research indicates that the earlier kids start using

marijuana, the more likely they are to become dependent on this or

other illicit drugs later in life.32

TREATMENT ADMISSIONS

More teens enter treatment each year with a primary diagnosis of

marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined.33

Currently, 62 percent of teens in drug treatment are dependent on

marijuana.34

The proportion of admissions for primary marijuana abuse

increased from 6 percent in 1992 to 15 percent of admissions to

treatment in 2000.35 Almost half (47 percent) of the people admitted

for marijuana were under 20

years old, and many of them

The earlier kids start started smoking pot at a very

using marijuana, the more early age. Of those admitted

for treatment for primary likely they are to become

marijuana dependence, 56 dependent on this or other percent had first used the drug illicit drugs later in life.79

by age 14, and 26 percent had

begun by age 12.36

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Although some people think of marijuana as a benign natural herb,

the drug actually contains many of the same cancer­causing chemicals

found in tobacco. Puff for puff, the amount of tar inhaled and the level

of carbon monoxide absorbed

by those who smoke marijuana,

regardless of THC content, are

three to five times greater than

among tobacco smokers.37

Consequently, people who

use marijuana on a regular basis

often have the same breathing problems as tobacco users, such as

chronic coughing and wheezing, more frequent acute chest illnesses,

and a tendency toward obstructed airways. And because respiratory

problems can affect athletic performance, smoking marijuana may be

particularly harmful to kids involved in sports.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have

determined that marijuana smoking can cause potentially serious

damage to the respiratory system at a relatively early age. Moreover, in

a review of research on the health effects of marijuana use, the

researchers cited findings that show “the daily smoking of relatively

small amounts of marijuana (3 to 4 joints) has at least a comparable, if

not greater effect” on the respiratory system than the smoking of more

than 20 tobacco cigarettes.38

Recently, scientists in England produced further evidence linking

marijuana use to respiratory problems in young people. A research

team at the University of Birmingham found that regular use of

marijuana, even for less than six years, causes a marked deterioration in

lung function. These findings, the study concludes, “may have serious

long­term implications for what is currently regarded as a relatively

‘harmless’ recreational habit.”39

MYTH 3 Marijuana is not as harmful

to your health as tobacco.

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Regular use of marijuana

appears to be at least as

damaging as regular use

of tobacco.80

MARIJUANA FACTS
MYTH 4 Marijuana makes you mellow.

Not always. Research shows that kids who use marijuana weekly are

nearly four times more likely than non­users to report they engage in

violent behavior. One study found that young people who had used

marijuana in the past year were more likely than non­users to report

aggressive behavior. According to that study, incidences of physically

attacking people, stealing, and destroying property increased in

proportion to the number of days marijuana was smoked in the past

One study found that

people who had used

marijuana in the past

year were more likely

than non­users to report

81 aggressive behavior.

year. Users were also twice as

likely as non­users to report they

disobey at school and destroy

their own things.40

In another study, researchers

looking into the relationship

between ten illicit drugs and

eight criminal offenses found that

a greater frequency of marijuana

use was associated with a greater

likelihood to commit weapons

offenses; except for alcohol, none of the other drugs showed such a

connection. That study, published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases in

2001, also found a link between marijuana use and the commission of

attempted homicide and reckless endangerment offenses.41

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 myths & FACTS
MYTH 5 Marijuana is used to treat

cancer and other diseases.

Under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control

Act of 1970, marijuana was established as a Schedule I controlled

substance. In other words, it is a dangerous drug that has no

recognized medical value.

Whether marijuana can provide relief for people with certain

medical conditions, including cancer, is a subject of intense national

debate. It is true that THC, the primary active chemical in marijuana,

can be useful for treating some medical problems. Synthetic THC is

the main ingredient in Marinol®, an FDA­approved medication used

to control nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate

appetite in people with AIDS. Marinol, a legal and safe version of

medical marijuana, has been available by prescription since 1985.

However, marijuana as a smoked product has never proven to be

medically beneficial and, in fact, is much more likely to harm one’s

health; marijuana smoke is a crude THC delivery system that also

sends many harmful substances into the body. In 1999, the Institute of

Medicine (IOM) published a review of the available scientific evidence

in an effort to assess the potential health benefits of marijuana and its

constituent cannabinoids. The review concluded that smoking

marijuana is not recommended for any long­term medical use, and a

subsequent IOM report declared, “marijuana is not a modern

medicine.”42

Clinical trials of smoked marijuana for therapy are underway

through the National Institutes of Health, a major provider of funding

for research on the potential medical uses of marijuana. Meanwhile,

the best available evidence points to the conclusion that the adverse

effects of marijuana smoke on the respiratory system would almost

certainly offset any possible benefit.

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Some states have removed criminal penalties for possessing

marijuana for “medical” use, adding fuel to the debate about using

smoked marijuana to reduce suffering. Residents in those states have

voted to change the marijuana policy in the mistaken belief that the

Marijuana as a smoked

product has never proven to

be medically beneficial and,

in reality, is much more likely

to harm one’s health.

benefits of smoked

marijuana exceed those

provided by THC alone. A

number of organizations

are pushing to make

marijuana available for

medicinal purposes,43 but

this campaign is regarded

by many public­health

experts as a veiled effort to legalize the drug.

Moreover, medicines are not approved in this country by popular

vote. Before any drugs can be released for public use they must

undergo rigorous clinical trials to demonstrate they are both safe and

effective, and then be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Our investment and confidence in medical science will be seriously

undermined if we do not defend the proven process by which

medicines are brought to market.

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 myths & FACTS
Recent survey data show that about 15 million people—6.2 percent

of the U.S. population—are current marijuana users,44 and that nearly a

third of them (4.8 million people) used the drug on 20 or more days in

the past month.45 Among kids age 12 to 17, more than two million

(8.2 percent) reported pastmonth marijuana use. By

contrast, fewer than 250,000

young people (1 percent)

reported past­month use of

hallucinogens, and of that

number, only half (124,000)

had used MDMA.46

The 2003 Monitoring the Future Study showed that marijuana is

not only popular today, it has been the most widely used illicit drug

among high school seniors for the entire 29 years of the study.47

Meanwhile, Ecstasy use among American teens appears to be declining

after record increases. Between 2001 and 2003, past­month use of

MDMA among students in the three grades surveyed dropped by

more than half, from 1.8 percent to 0.7 percent (8th grade), 2.6 percent

to 1.1 percent (10th grade), and 2.8 percent to 1.3 percent (12th

grade).48

MYTH 6 Marijuana is not as popular 

as MDMA (Ecstasy) or other

drugs among teens today.

Lifetime prevalence (ever used) rates for students in the 8th, 10th, and 12th

grades in 2003:49

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than two million kids age

12 to 17 reported pastmonth marijuana use.82

MARIJUANA FACTS

In a recent survey, more

Marijuana/

Hashish Amphetamines Ecstasy Hallucinogens

8th Grade 17.5% 8.4% 3.2% 4.0%

10th Grade 36.4% 13.1% 5.4% 6.9%

12th Grade 46.1% 14.4% 8.3% 10.6%
MYTH 7 If I buy marijuana, I’m not

hurting anyone else.

Think again. Despite its reputation as the herb of peace and love—

and despite claims that smoking pot is a victimless crime—marijuana

and violence go hand in hand. Marijuana trafficking is a big, violent

business, whether the plants are grown on foreign soil or cultivated in

basements, backyards, and farms in the United States.50

VIOLENCE AT HOME

The trade in domestically grown marijuana often turns violent

when dealers have conflicts or when growers feel their crops are

threatened. But drug criminals are not the only ones threatened by the

violence of the marijuana trade.

Much of the marijuana produced in America is grown on public

lands, including our national forests and parks—areas set aside to

preserve wildlife habitats,

provide playgrounds for our

children, and serve as natural

refuges for recreation.51

Traffickers grow their crops in

these areas because the land is

free and accessible, crop

ownership is hard to document,

and because growers are

immune to asset forfeiture laws. Law enforcement officials report that

many marijuana growers, seeking to protect their crops from

busybodies and rival “pot pirates,” surround their plots with crude

booby traps, including fishhooks dangling at eye level, bear traps, punji

sticks, and rat traps rigged with shotgun shells.52

Even supporters of the

marijuana movements

agree that kids should

not be using the drug.83

legalization and medical

Most of the marijuana on America’s public lands is grown in the

vast national forests of California, where more than 540,000 plants

14 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA
 myths & FACTS
were seized or eradicated on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service

in 2003 alone. This figure does not include the 309,000 marijuana

plants taken from Forest Service land in other states,53 nor does it take

into account the hundreds of thousands of plants removed from land

managed by other government agencies. For example, in 2003 more

than 134,000 marijuana plants were seized or eradicated from areas in

California administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s

Bureau of Land Management.54

According to officers with the Forest Service and other agencies,

many of California’s illegal marijuana fields are controlled not by

peace­loving flower children but by employees of Mexican drugtrafficking organizations carrying high­powered assault weapons.

During the growing season, the officers say, the cartels smuggle

hundreds of undocumented Mexican nationals into the U.S. to work

the fields, bringing with them pesticides, equipment, and guns.

Hunters, campers, and others have been threatened at gunpoint or

fired upon after stumbling into these illegal gardens.55

A DANGEROUS IMPORT

It is commonly believed that most marijuana smoked in the United

States is also grown in this country. In truth, smuggled marijuana—

whether brought in from Mexico, other Latin America source areas, or

from Canada—accounts for most of the pot available in America.56

Drug traffickers often use violence in the effort to get their product

to the U.S. market. Criminal groups operating from Mexico, many of

them linked to torture, executions, and other acts of violence, have

transported and distributed thousands of tons of marijuana and other

drugs throughout the United States since the 1970s.57

While some would argue that problems such as these would be

solved by simply legalizing marijuana, it’s important to remember that

the drug is illegal because it causes harm—physical, social, behavioral,

and academic—especially to young users. Even most people who

support legalization agree that kids should not be using marijuana.58

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MARIJUANA HURTS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

Marijuana harms more than just those who use the drug. It also

hurts the babies born to users. It hurts teen users who betray the trust

of their parents, and it hurts the parents who are confused and

dismayed by their kids’ use.

Marijuana also hurts communities when users commit crimes or

cause crashes on the highway. A roadside study of reckless drivers in

Tennessee found that 33 percent of all subjects who were not under the

influence of alcohol, and who were tested for drugs at the scene of

their arrest, tested positive for marijuana.59 In a 2003 Canadian study,

one in five students admitted to driving within an hour of using

marijuana.60

Marijuana also harms society by causing lost productivity in

business, limiting educational attainment, and by contributing to

illnesses and injuries that put further strain on the health care system.

16 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
It’s an unfortunate fact: If kids want marijuana, they can find it.

More than half (55 percent) of youths age 12 to 17 responding to the

National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2002 reported that

marijuana would be easy to

obtain. The survey indicated

that most marijuana users got

the drug from a friend, and

that almost nine percent of

youths who bought marijuana

did so inside a school

building.61 Moreover, nearly 17

percent of the young people

surveyed said they had been approached by someone selling drugs in

the past month.62 In the 2000 survey, more than a quarter of 12­ to 17­

year­olds (26.6 percent) reported that drug­selling occurs frequently in

their neighborhoods.63

Kids are also exposed to a relentless barrage of marijuana messages

in the popular culture—in the music they listen to, the movies they

watch, and the magazines they read. And then there’s the Internet, a

crowded landscape of pro­marijuana and drug legalization Web sites.

More often than not, the culture glamorizes or trivializes marijuana use

and fails to show the serious harm it can cause.

The easy availability of marijuana has been a concern for years.

Since the Monitoring the Future Survey began in 1975, most high

school seniors said they could obtain the drug fairly easily or very

easily.64 Fortunately, non­use remains the norm, but an alarming

number of young people have at least experimented with marijuana.

The 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey found that

42 percent of all high school students nationwide had used marijuana

at some time in their lives.65 A report based on that survey revealed

MYTH 8 My kids won’t be exposed

to marijuana.

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More often than not, the

culture glamorizes or

trivializes marijuana use

harm it can cause.

MARIJUANA FACTS

and fails to portray the
that from 1990 to 2001, the number of 9th graders reporting current

marijuana use more than doubled, increasing from 9.5 percent to 19.4

percent.66

Marijuana use is in some ways like a contagious disease, spreading

from “infected” individuals to others around them. And those most

susceptible to its harmful influence are young people. Analysis of data

from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reveals that kids

with friends who used marijuana were themselves more than 30 times

as likely to have used marijuana in the past month. Kids were also nine

times more likely to have used marijuana in the past month if they

knew adults who used the drug.67

NOT JUST AN INNER­CITY PROBLEM

Some people have the impression that kids in the inner city are

those most likely to get involved with drugs. Research shows, however,

that marijuana use among youth in cities, rural areas, and the suburbs

is roughly the same, and that use rates are similar regardless of

population density. For example, annual prevalence rates of marijuana

use among 10th graders are 28 percent in non­urban areas, 29 percent

in large metropolitan statistical areas, and 32 percent in other

metropolitan areas.68

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Many people are surprised to learn that parents are the most

powerful influence on their children when it comes to drugs. By

staying involved, knowing what their kids are doing, and setting limits

with clear rules and consequences, parents can increase the chances

their kids will stay drug free. Research shows that appropriate parental

monitoring can reduce future

drug use even among

adolescents who may be prone

to marijuana use, such as those

who are rebellious, cannot

control their emotions, and

experience internal distress.69

In a government survey of

youth ages 12 to 17, almost 90

percent of the respondents

thought their parents would

strongly disapprove of their

trying marijuana once or twice.

The report, from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, also

showed that the rate of past­month marijuana use was lower among

kids who believed their parents would disapprove. In 2000, for

example, 27 percent of young people who believed that their parents

did not strongly disapprove of marijuana use reported past­month use

of an illicit drug. For kids who thought their parents did disapprove,

the use rate was only 4.9 percent.70 As these numbers make clear,

parents’ attitudes and actions have a profound influence on their

children’s drug­using behavior.

MYTH 9 There’s not much parents 

can do to stop their kids from

experimenting with marijuana.

MARIJUANA myths & 19

By staying involved,

knowing what their kids

are doing, and setting

limits with clear rules and

consequences, parents can

kids will stay drug free.

MARIJUANA FACTS

increase the chances their
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Kids who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents or

caregivers are less likely to use drugs than kids who do not.71 Parents

can create situations that help them connect with their children and

stay involved in their lives. Experts suggest that parents try to be home

with their kids after school, if possible, because evidence indicates that

the riskiest time for kids with regard to drug involvement is between

the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Parents who can’t be home with their

children should consider enrolling them in after­school programs,

sports, or other activities, or arrange for a trusted adult to oversee

them.

It’s also important for families to participate in activities such as

eating meals together; holding meetings in which each person gets a

chance to talk; and establishing regular routines of doing something

special (like taking a walk) that allow parents to talk to their kids.

Opening channels of communication between parents and children, as

well as between families and the greater community, gives young

people greater confidence and helps them make healthy choices.

20 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
On the contrary, it is extremely rare for anyone, particularly firsttime offenders, to get sent to prison just for possessing a small amount

of marijuana. In most states, possession of an ounce or less of pot is a

misdemeanor offense, and some states have gone so far as to

downgrade simple possession

of marijuana to a civil

offense akin to a traffic

violation.

The numbers speak for

themselves. In 1997,

according to the U.S.

Department of Justice’s

Bureau of Justice Statistics

(BJS), only 1.6 percent of

the state inmate population

had been convicted of a

marijuana­only crime,

including trafficking. An

even smaller percentage of state inmates were imprisoned with

marijuana possession as the only charge (0.7 percent). And only 0.3

percent of those imprisoned just for marijuana possession were firsttime offenders.72

More recent estimates from the BJS show that at midyear 2002,

approximately 8,400 state prisoners were serving time for possessing

marijuana in any amount. Fewer than half of that group, or about

3,600 inmates, were incarcerated on a first offense.73 In other words, of

the more than 1.2 million people doing time in state prisons across

America,74 only a small fraction were first­time offenders sentenced

just for marijuana possession. And again, this figure includes

possession of any amount.

MYTH 10 The government sends

otherwise innocent people to

prison for casual marijuana use.

MARIJUANA myths & 21

Many inmates ultimately

sentenced for marijuana

possession were initially

crimes but were able to

or lighter sentences

through plea agreements

with prosecutors.

MARIJUANA FACTS

charged with more serious

negotiate reduced charges
On the federal level, prosecutors focus largely on traffickers,

kingpins, and other major drug criminals, so federal marijuana cases

often involve hundreds of pounds of the drug. Cases involving smaller

amounts are typically handled on the state level. This is part of the

reason why hardly anyone ends up in federal prison for simple

possession of marijuana. The fact is, of all drug defendants sentenced

in federal court for marijuana offenses in 2001, the vast majority were

convicted of trafficking. Only 2.3 percent—186 people—were

sentenced for simple possession, and of the 174 for whom sentencing

information is known, just 63 actually served time behind bars.75

It’s important to point out that many inmates ultimately sentenced

for marijuana possession were initially charged with more serious

crimes but were able to negotiate reduced charges or lighter sentences

through plea agreements with prosecutors. Therefore, the 2.3 percent

figure for simple­possession defendants may give an inflated

impression of the true number, since it also includes those inmates who

pled down from more serious charges.

The goal of drug laws is not merely to punish, but to reduce drug

use and help keep people from harming themselves and others with

this destructive behavior. In recent years, with the introduction of drug

courts and similar programs, there has been a shift within the U.S.

criminal justice system toward providing treatment rather than

incarceration for drug users and non­violent offenders with addiction

problems. Today, in fact, the criminal justice system is the largest

source of referral to drug treatment programs.76

22 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
CONCLUSION

The clutter of messages about marijuana in the popular culture

creates an atmosphere of confusion and sends kids mixed signals about

the drug. But what should be clear is that no responsible person thinks

young people should use marijuana. Kids can learn the truth about

marijuana at www.freevibe.com.

Parents can help keep their children away from marijuana by letting

them know its dangers, and by monitoring their activities and staying

involved in their lives. For more information and useful tips about

talking to kids about marijuana, visit www.theantidrug.com. Both of

these Web sites are supported by the Office of National Drug Control

Policy.

Schools and communities can also play an important role by

providing activities that keep kids interested and involved in healthy,

drug­free programs.

If you want to help dispel misperceptions and spread the truth

about marijuana to help kids grow up drug­free, you can:

• Educate yourself about the dangers of marijuana and

keep up with scientific research into its harmful

effects. For a wealth of good information, visit the

Web site for the National Institute on Drug Abuse at

http://www.nida.nih.gov

• Help kids in trouble with marijuana get into drug

treatment programs

• Be an advocate for better, more informed druggeddriving laws

• Support after­school programs and get involved in

local anti­drug coalitions

• Stay informed about the marijuana laws in your state, and

take a stand against changes in legislation that would increase

the drug’s availability in your community

MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 23
• Support efforts to launch a student drug­testing

program in your local schools

• See “What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in

Schools,” available by calling 800­666­3332 and online at

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/pdf/drug_testing.pdf

• To learn more about drug and alcohol abuse, visit the

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services

Administration’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol

and Drug Information at http://www.health.org/ or

call its 24­hour hotline: 1­800­729­6686 or 1­800­

788­2800

24 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
GLOSSARY

Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive

drug­seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in

the brain.

Anxiety: Apprehension, tension, or uneasiness from anticipation of

danger, the source of which is largely unknown or unrecognized.†

Cannabinoid receptors: Sites on nerve cells in the brain to which

THC attaches, affecting the way those cells work. Cannabinoid

receptors are abundant in parts of the brain that regulate movement,

coordination, learning and memory, higher cognitive functions such as

judgment, and pleasure.

Cognitive deficits: Difficulties in reasoning, judgment, intuition and

memory, or a lack of awareness and insight.

Dependence: Often called physical dependence, an adaptive

physiological state that occurs with regular drug use and results in a

withdrawal syndrome when drug use is stopped.

Depression: A psychiatric disorder characterized by feelings of

sadness, hopelessness, guilt, changes in appetite, low energy, and

difficulty concentrating.

Longitudinal study: A study in which the same group of individuals is

interviewed at intervals over a period of time.

Neurotransmitter: A chemical produced by specialized cells called

neurons in the brain and body to transmit messages to other neurons.

† Shahrokh, NC, and Hales, RE. American Psychiatric Glossary, Eighth

Edition. Washington, DC. American Psychiatric Publishing Inc., 2003.

MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 25
Schizophrenia: A chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease

characterized by illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and

hallucinations.

Sinsemilla: From the Spanish for “seedless.” Sinsemilla, a higher

potency marijuana, contains only the leaves and buds of the

unpollinated female cannabis plant, where THC is most concentrated.

THC: Delta­9­tetrahydrocannabinol, the main active ingredient in

marijuana and the chemical that acts on the brain to produce the

drug’s effects.

Withdrawal: Symptoms that occur after use of a drug is reduced or

stopped.

26 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
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48 University of Michigan, 2003 Monitoring the Future press release,

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49 National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2003 Monitoring the Future Data

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MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 33
51 Intelligence Brief: National Drug Threat Assessment, Marijuana Update,

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53 Unpublished data from the U.S. Forest Service.

54 Unpublished data from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of

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34 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
57 Drug Trafficking in the United States, U.S. Department of Justice, Drug

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58 For example: “Walters is correct in suggesting that marijuana, like other

drugs, is not for kids,” Keith Stroup, founder and executive director of the

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML),

and Paul Armentano, NORML senior policy analyst, in Letters to the

Editor, The Washington Post, May 4, 2002, in response to “The Myth of

‘Harmless’ Marijuana,” by ONDCP Director John Walters, The

Washington Post, May 1, 2002.

“Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible to provide

cannabis to children,” Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use, the National

Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (April 11, 2003;

www.norml.org).

59 Brookoff, D et al. Testing Reckless drivers for cocaine and marijuana. New

England Journal of Medicine. 331:518­522, 1994.

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60 Adlaf, et al. Drinking, cannabis use and driving among Ontario students.

Canadian Medical Association Journal. 168, March 2003.

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/168/5/565

MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 35
61 Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National

Findings, Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA DHHS, 2003.

62 National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2002. SAMHSA, 2003. Detailed

Tables: Table 3.1B, Perceived Risk and Availability of Drugs, by Age

Group.

63 The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) Report:

Neighborhood Characteristics and Youth Marijuana Use. Department of

Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, January 4, 2002.

64 National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2003 Monitoring the Future Data

Tables, Table 13: Long­Term Trends in Perceived Availability of Drugs by

Twelfth Graders.

http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/03data/pr03t13.pdf

65 Grunbaum, J et al. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2001.

Surveillance Summaries, June 28, 2002, MMWR 2002. 51(No. SS­4): 1­64.

66 Grunbaum, J et al., Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2001.

Surveillance Summaries, June 28, 2002. MMWR 2002; 51(No. SS­4): 1­64.

CDC “Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among High School

Students—United States,” MMWR 40 (45) (1990): 776­84.

67 The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) Report:

Obtaining marijuana easy for youths. Department of Health and Human

Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,

Office of Applied Studies, August 31, 2001.

68 Monitoring the Future, National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975­2002.

Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,

National Institutes of Health, 2002.

http://monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/vol1_2002.pdf

Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse, January­June 2001 Reporting 

Period, Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug

Control Policy, 2001.

36 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 
69 Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know. National Institute on Drug Abuse

(NIDA), revised November 1998.

70 The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) Report:

Parental disapproval of youths’ substance abuse. Department of Health

and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration: Based on data from the 2000 NHSDA, 2002.

71 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia

University. 1999 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on

Substance Abuse V: Back to School: Teens and Their Parents, 1999.

72 Unpublished BJS estimates based on the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State

and Federal Correctional Facilities, National Archive of Criminal Justice

Data. For a public­use copy of the survey data, see

http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD/SISFCF/index.html

73 Ibid.

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2002, Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bulletin, April 2003, NCJ 198877.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/pjim02.pdf

74 Prisoners in 2002. Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2003, NCJ 200248.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/p02.pdf

75 U.S. Sentencing Commission’s 2001 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing

Statistics. Table 33: Primary Drug Type of Offenders Sentenced Under

Each Drug Guideline, Fiscal Year 2001.

http://www.ussc.gov/ANNRPT/2001/SBTOC01.htm

http://www.ussc.gov/ANNRPT/2001/table33.pdf

Unpublished figures from the U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2001 Datafile,

USSCFY01.

76 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of

Applied Studies. Treatment Episode Data Set 1992­2000; Table 3.4:

Admissions by primary substance of abuse, according to type of service,

source of referral to treatment, and planned use of methodone.

http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/teds00/3.4.htm

MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 37
77 Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know. NIDA, 1998.

78 The NHSDA Report, Marijuana Use Among Youth. July 19, 2002.

79 Gfroer, JC and Epstein, JF. Marijuana initiates and their impact on future

drug abuse treatment need. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 54(3):229­237,

1999.

Anthony, JC and Petronis, KR. Early­onset drug use and risk of later drug

problems. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 40: 9­15, 1995.

Grant, BF and Dawson, DA, Age of onset of drug use and its association

with DSM­IV drug abuse and dependence: Results from the National

Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse,

10: 163­173, 1998.

80 Tashkin, DP. Pulmonary complications of smoked substance abuse. Western

Journal of Medicine. 152(5): 525­530, 1990.

Roth, MD et al. Airway inflammation in young marijuana and tobacco

smokers. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine. 157(3):

928­937, 1998.

81 Greenblatt, J. Adolescent self­reported behaviors and their association with

marijuana use. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA). Based on data from the National

Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994­1996, 1998.

82 National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2002. Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services Administration, 2003.

38 MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS
83 For example: “Walters is correct in suggesting that marijuana, like other drugs,

is not for kids,” Keith Stroup, founder and executive director of the National

Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and Paul

Armentano, NORML senior policy analyst, in Letters to the Editor, The

Washington Post, May 4, 2002, in response to “The Myth of ‘Harmless’

Marijuana,” by ONDCP Director John Walters, The Washington Post,

May 1, 2002.

“Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible to provide cannabis

to children,” Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use, the National

Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (April 11, 2003;

www.norml.org)

MARIJUANA MARIJUANA myths & FACTS 39