FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2016 CONTACT: Lois Callahan, Project Director – (202) 329-8227, [email protected] Susie Cambria, Project Co-coordinator – (301) 832-2339, [email protected] Community Coalition Urges City's Leaders to Put the Brakes on Pot ClubsYouth use of marijuana, substantially increased in Ward 7 since 2013, is a major concern; further legislative action may continue to legitimize use among young peopleWASHINGTON, DC, February 1, 2016: The Ward 7 Safe & Drug-free Communities Coalition (Coalition) is calling on Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of the Council of the District of Columbia to pause the frenzied push for pot clubs until the rise in marijuana use among children and youth can be studied.
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4645 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE p (202) 329-8227 Suite
202 e [email protected] Washington, DC 20019 www.w7sdcc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2016 CONTACT: Lois Callahan,
Project Director (202) 329-8227, [email protected]
Susie Cambria, Project Co-coordinator (301) 832-2339,
[email protected]
Community Coalition Urges City's Leaders to Put the Brakes on
Pot Clubs Youth use of marijuana, substantially increased in Ward 7
since 2013, is a major concern; further
legislative action may continue to legitimize use among young
people WASHINGTON, DC, February 1, 2016: The Ward 7 Safe &
Drug-free Communities Coalition (Coalition) is calling on Mayor
Muriel Bowser and members of the Council of the District of
Columbia to pause the frenzied push for pot clubs until the rise in
marijuana use among children and youth can be studied. 30-day use
of marijuana by middle school students has increased three-fold
between 2013 and 2015, from 2.8% to 7.8%, according to a survey
done in four Ward 7 schools in May 2015. Community leaders of the
Coalition informally report that young people they encounter do not
distinguish between decriminalization and legalization. The recent
law and enforcement changes may have led to this confusion. Making
such important changes in the drug and alcohol landscape should not
be taken lightly. It is incumbent on leaders and community members
to have the most and best information available before making such
a historic policy change. If the recent spike in youth marijuana
use is, in fact, related to the 2014 change, we can only expect
further increases when marijuana use becomes more socially
acceptable among adults. The Coalition will do several focus groups
for parents and young people this year. But this is not enough. We
assert that a full-fledged rigorous study of youth drug use is
necessary in order to make policy decisions based on the full set
of facts. The Ward 7 Safe & Drug-free Communities Coalition is
a nonprofit organization, incorporated in the District of Columbia
and organized to promote substance abuse prevention among youth and
adults living in Ward 7 in the District of Columbia. The Coalition
promotes prevention through resident education and empowerment.
