QUESTIONS KIDS ASK

Q: Wouldn't you rather I drink than take drugs?

A: I would rather you did not use any drug, including alcohol. Alcohol is a drug. Drinking can lead to serious problems, especially at this time in your life. If you choose to drink when you are older, I hope you will do so responsibly.

Q: What's the big deal! I only drink beer.

A: Some people think that beer is not as harmful as other forms of alcohol. But one beer has the same amount of alcohol in it as a drink of liquor or a glass of wine. It's the amount you drink that affects you. You can definitely get drunk on beer.

Q: What's the difference if I start to drink now or I wait until I'm 19 - it's only a few years difference?

A: The younger you start, the more inexperienced you are in handling the kinds of problems which often come up when kids get together and there is drinking. Situations you hadn't planned for can easily get out of hand. During these times, you need to rely on your own good sense to take care of yourself and maybe even others. If you're drinking, you just can't think through problems the way you can when you are sober.

Q: I only drink on weekends so what's the problem?

A: Many people think that they won't have problems with alcohol because they only drink on weekends. But many young people who limit their drinking to the weekend tend to "binge" or drink a lot at that time. There are a lot of problems associated with binge drinking, such as alcohol poisoning, fights, damage to property and regrets about sex. I just need to watch the news or read the paper and I see the number of drivers and passengers killed or seriously injured by drinking drivers on weekends. I don't want these problems to happen to you. I care about you and I want you to be safe.

Q: I don't take drugs, I just smoke cigarettes.

A: I'm concerned about smoking as well as other drugs. Cigarettes are very addictive and most people who smoke wish they hadn't started. Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable deaths in North America. I care about your health now and in the future.

Q: You smoke, so why shouldn't I?

A: I don't want to smoke, but I made the mistake of trying cigarettes when I was young. I now realize that tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs. The easiest way to quit is not to start.

Q: Everyone uses marihuana. I don't see why I can't use it too.

A: Actually that's not true. Most young people or adults do not use marihuana or other illegal drugs. In fact, many teens who try marihuana out of curiosity find that they don't like the effects and don't continue using it. Today's stronger forms of marihuana can cause unpleasant sensations. If most of the young people you know use marihuana, you may need to learn what it is like to make a decision that is different from your friends. Your friends should respect your decision. And you may be surprised that one or two others might follow your example.

Q: You drink, so why can't I use marihuana?

A: As an adult, I have chosen to drink in a way that is safe and responsible for me and the people I care about. I don't feel you can use marihuana in a way that is absolutely safe and healthy. Marihuana affects short-term memory, judgment, co-ordination and driving skills. Furthermore, the smoke from one joint contains much more "tar" than a regular cigarette, so with regular use, the risk of lung disease increases. Because it is a street drug, you can't be sure exactly what is contained in a joint or how powerful the drug might be.

Q: Marihuana is a natural substance so it can't be that harmful.

A: Marihuana, like many drugs, does originally come from plants growing in nature. But we know that plants growing wild can be dangerous; some can be so poisonous they are deadly. Most drugs, which come from plants, are changed by a chemical process in some way (like cocaine or heroin). The marihuana you get today has been carefully grown in grow operations using specific techniques to produce exactly what the grower wants and to make the biggest profit for the grower. Not much is left to chance! Growers use pesticides and other chemicals to encourage plant growth and prevent insects and diseases which will damage their crops and these can be harmful to the user.

Q: Doctors give marihuana to people who are sick, so that proves that it's not unhealthy.

A: It's true that some people who are seriously ill, for example with AIDS or multiple sclerosis or those who are undergoing cancer treatment, find that using marihuana helps their symptoms. Some doctors will recommend marihuana to these patients. The majority of doctors recommend other medicines to control these symptoms because they are concerned about the health risks associated with smoking marihuana and because the benefits of using marihuana in these situations have not undergone strict clinical testing.

Many drugs, whether originally from a plant or produced only in labs, can have some positive helpful benefits in the right situations. Morphine is a good example of this. But that does not mean these drugs are meant to be used for personal recreation.

Q: I don't use marihuana often - just sometimes on weekends with my friends. You know I don't have problems. Why are you worried?

A: I have a number of concerns about your marihuana use, even if it is part time. Each time you use marihuana, you don't know whether it has had other drugs or poisons added to it or how strong it is. And many young people don't worry about driving a car after using marihuana even though it affects their ability to judge distances and slows reaction time. So I worry that you will drive or ride with someone who is impaired.

My last concern is that it's easy for a teen to begin to use more often and in more situations. and that's when it can begin to interfere with your school work and relationships. But by that time it's hard to recognize that these problems are linked to your use of marihuana. And at that point it will be much harder to stop.