AN OPEN LETTER TO PARENTS ABOUT MARIJUANA

Did you know?

Marijuana puts kids at risk. It is the most widely used illicit drug among youth today and is more potent than ever. Marijuana can lead to a host of significant health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in a young person's development. Getting high also impairs judgment, which can wreck havoc on teens in high-pressure social situations, leading to risky decision-making on issues like sex, criminal activity or riding with someone who driving high.

And don't be fooled by popular beliefs. Kids can get hooked on pot. Research shows that marijuana use can lead to addiction. More teens enter treatment for marijuana abuse each year than for all other illicit drugs combined.

This fall, America's youth will hear a new message about marijuana, thanks to collaboration among federal agencies, public health organizations, educators and concerned parents. The initiative will inform young people that using marijuana has real consequences and can put their futures at risk. It will teach them that the dangers of marijuana are not overblown and must be taken seriously. Most of all, this campaign will dispel the myths about marijuana by concentrating on the facts.

Time and again, kids say their parents are the single most important influence when it comes to drugs. So this message needs to start with you. Kids need to hear how risky marijuana use can be. They need to know how damaging it can be to their lives. And they need to begin by listening to someone they trust.

To learn more about marijuana and how to keep your kids drug-free, please visit www.theantidrug.com or call (800) 788-2800.

Then talk to your kids. Together, we can help them separate the myths from the facts.

Signed:

American Academy of Family Physicians

Islamic Center of Beverly Hills