Column did not hit the real target

Stoneham Safety Officer Laurence Rotondi's intentions for writing his article, "Teens continue to be tempted by marijuana and cocaine" of 2/23/05, were undoubtedly good. The results from attempts such as his, on the other hand, have been bad. Overblown scare propaganda has not and will not stop kids from trying marijuana, whether it successfully frightens parents or not.

There are good reasons why kids should not try marijuana and most of those reasons hold true for any mind altering substances. There is no reason to resort to "Reefer Madness" tactics. There are many good reasons why Officer Rotondi should not do so.

Officer Rotondi is in a unique position where he can be seen as an authority on safety and drugs. When he writes things that are unsupportable, he looses credibility and his unique opportunity with it.

In 1997 sociologist Dr. Lynn Zimmer and pharmacologist Dr. John Morgan published "Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts", which is available at Stoneham Library upon request. There's a good chance at least some Stoneham High School students have seen it. It addresses many of the "Myths" Officer Rotondi reiterated.

For instance, Rotondi wrote, "...marijuana impair(s) the immune system..." This myth is addressed in chapter 14 of the "Myths" book where the doctors respond by stating, "There is no evidence that marijuana users are more susceptible to infections than nonusers."

Rotondi wrote of a mythical Fetal Marijuana Syndrome. The doctors address that in chapter 13 saying, "Studies of newborns, infants and children show no consistent physical, developmental or cognitive related to prenatal marijuana exposure. The administration of hundreds of tests to older children has revealed only minor differences between the offspring of marijuana users and nonusers, and some are positive rather than negative."

He wrote that "Heavy marijuana use by males may lower sperm count and cause abnormal sperm production," and "Marijuana use by teenage girls may impair hormone production, menstrual cycles and fertility." The doctors respond to that myth in chapter 12 saying, "There is no evidence that marijuana causes infertility in men or women. There is no evidence that marijuana delays adolescent sexual development..."

He wrote that a, "...student who uses marijuana is 60 times more likely to use cocaine." The doctors, in chapter 4, explain, "Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. What the gateway theory presents as a causal explanation is a statistical association between common and uncommon drugs...Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and LSD, are likely to have used marijuana. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a gateway drug."

There were so many myths in Rotondi's article I could go on ad nauseum. Suffice it to say that, he should become more familiar with the real problems associated with children using marijuana and speak to those issues, rather than damage his credibility with ineffective fear mongering.

Bill Downing
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