Adults and Students are Ambivalent About Marijuana Use
June 16, 2011, page 2.....

The recent arrests by Hinesburg police of two Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU) students on felony drug charges prompted The Charlotte News to ask Chittenden South Supervisory Union school administrators and CVU School Board members for comments about how the district is responding to this case and to marijuana use in general. The two students were ordered to appear in Vermont Superior Court on July 11 to face charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. A third student was arrested for possession of the stolen cell phone that led to the arrests of the others. Two of the students are from Charlotte. The CVU School Board met in executive session Monday to discuss disciplinary action.
Six months ago Charlotte Central School students were implicated in marijuana activity, and patches of marijuana were found growing in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge (The Charlotte News, October 7, 2010).
What follows is the response to our questions received from Christine Lloyd-Newberry, the program director for CY-Connecting Youth.
Does CY believe there is a problem with youth marijuana use?  Absolutely! We believe that marijuana use is a growing concern, particularly among older high school students.  Over the past 15 years, we have made significant progress at reducing early onset of marijuana use among middle school youth; however, there is much work to be done at the 10th to 12th grade levels.  Data for our district from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) showed that 22% of 10th graders, 28% of 11th graders and 36% of 12th graders reported using marijuana in the past 30 days. 
It’s not uncommon today for adults to be ambivalent about marijuana use and instead to be more concerned about so-called “harder” drugs such as cocaine or heroin.  Because marijuana is now legal for medicinal purposes and is one of the largest cash crops in Vermont, this ambivalence continues to grow. In the minds of many teens, this ambivalence can translate to tacit approval. YRBS data indicates that only 53% of juniors and 43% of seniors believe it is “wrong” or “very wrong” for someone their age to use marijuana and only 41% of juniors and 29% of seniors believe there is “great risk in people harming themselves from using marijuana regularly.” 
What does the latest survey data show?  We are currently waiting for the results of the 2011 YRBS survey given to all 6th -12th graders across our Supervisory Union. Students took the survey in February/March, but we will not have the results until the Vermont Department of Health (VT DOH) releases them this fall—probably early October.
Why does it seem that CY has been focused so much on alcohol use and not specifically marijuana use?  First, as part of CY’s strategic planning process, we identified alcohol use and binge drinking as the number one concern for youth in our District.  According to 2009 YRBS data, 44% of all juniors and 49% of all seniors reported using alcohol in the past 30 days and 28% of juniors and 34% of seniors reported “binge drinking” in the past 30 days. Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among teens, here and across the country, and is responsible for the majority of deaths among youth and young adults under the age of 24.
Also, in 2007-08, we received a grant through the VT DOH (“Strategic Prevention Framework” grant) that aimed at reducing underage drinking and binge drinking across Vermont. Through that grant we were able to launch a parent social marketing campaign called “Lead by Example.”  This initiative ran in conjunction with the statewide “Parent Up” campaign, which has meant a significant amount of publicity around teen alcohol use.  The campaign has been very successful, and we are just now putting together an evaluation report highlighting key results.
What can we do about rising marijuana use among youth?  CY’s mission is to promote a culture that develops in our youth the power and conviction to make healthy choices.  But marijuana (or any other drug) use is not an individual problem… or a school problem…. or a family problem. It is a community problem and we need to send a unified message as a community. It is imperative that we continue to foster a strong partnership between CY (and other youth based community organizations), schools and local law enforcement to make sure we monitor and enforce school policy and local laws. Everyone – students, parents, teachers, school administrators and other community members – needs to be on the same page and understand that marijuana use is, in fact, harmful. Here is what the latest research shows with regard to the hazards of use:
* Marijuana today is much more potent with significantly higher THC levels and a greater risk of addiction.
* Even short-term marijuana use is linked to memory loss and difficulty with problem solving. Combine this with the fact that a teen’s brain is still developing and there can be severe learning impairment. Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows marijuana’s effects on the teen brain can cause cumulative deterioration of critical life skills.
* Marijuana smoke contains some of the same, and in some cases even more, of the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Additionally, people who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. They tend to have more chest colds than non-users. They are also at greater risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia. Both animal and human studies have shown that marijuana impairs the ability of T-cells in the lungs’ immune system to fight off some infections.
* Studies show that marijuana use IS addictive. Research has demonstrated that regular users show both tolerance and withdrawal, two of the major indicators for addiction to a drug. People who try quitting often experience symptoms such as irritability, difficulty sleeping and anxiety. And, more young people enter drug treatment for marijuana than for all other illicit drugs combined.
CY also encourages parents to talk to their children about marijuana and other drugs – don’t wait until there is a problem. Research consistently shows that parents are the single most important influence in whether or not their children will choose to use. Also, be clear about setting limits and expectations. Let your child know that you don’t want them using marijuana or any other drugs and outline consequences for this in a family policy. Finally, if you suspect that your child may be using, seek professional help and utilize your school and community resources. All of the CSSU middle schools and CVU High School have certified Student Assistance Program (SAP) Counselors whose job is to help students who may have an issue with their own or someone else’s use of alcohol or other drugs. You can also access other local resources in Chittenden County such as Centerpoint Adolescent Treatment Services at 488-7711 and Spectrum Youth and Family Services at 862-5396.

CY - Connecting Youth is a community-based organization dedicated to creating a safe and healthy environment for young people. Operating out of the Chittenden South Supervisory Union, CY serves the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne and Williston and is located online at seewhy.info and on Facebook at facebook.com/connectingyouth.