Bill Clinton, a former pot smoker, wants to crack down on cigarettes. Bob Dole, a former cigarette smoker, wants to crack down on pot. Both propose to save the children by restricting the freedom of adults, and each accuses the other of inadequate concern. Although the long-term effects of marijuana use have been exaggerated, the immediate effects tend to get in the way of learning and socialization. Like alcohol, marijuana impairs attention, short-term memory, and coordination.
Children are less equipped to deal with such effects than adults.
They are more likely to use intoxicants inappropriately and to act irresponsibly while under the influence. But the regular use of such intoxicants, especially as a way to relieve anxiety or deal with social pressure, presents special dangers to the cognitive and emotional development of adolescents. With cigarettes, by contrast, the psychoactive effects are mild, but the long-term physical effects are substantial. Given the difficulty of quitting and the serious health hazards involved, it is reasonable to put cigarette smoking in the same category as enlisting in the Army, getting married, and other risky decisions that are reserved for adults. So the recent increases in both kinds of smoking among teenagers are cause for concern.