MARIJUANA USE CAN THREATEN TEEN'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS

As Students Prepare for SAT Tests, New Ad Campaign
Urges Parents To Keep Their Teens Drug-Free

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(Washington)An estimated one and a half million high school students will take the SATs this fall, beginning with thousands who will sit for the first round this academic year on Saturday, October 8. At this critical time in teens' academic careersas they look ahead to college and their futuresthe Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and education and health leaders have partnered to launch an ad campaign targeting parents. An "Open Letter to Parents," titled "Marijuana Could Threaten Your Teen's Success," will begin appearing next week in national and local newspapers, including The New York Times and USA Today, as well as in Time, Newsweek and People magazines.

Fourteen health and education organizations across the country have signed on to the Open Letter, including: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Council on Education; American School Counselor Association; ASPIRA Association, Inc.; Balfour; Educational Testing Service; Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; National Association for Asian and Pacific American Education; National PTA; National Student Assistance Association; Partnership for a Drug-Free America; Students Against Destructive Decisions; United Negro College Fund; and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Go to: http://www.mediacampaign.org/mg/print/ad_open_letter_generalmarket_clr.html, to view the Open Letter.

While illicit drug use among teens is on the decline, marijuana is the most commonly used drug among 16- and 17-year-olds, the precise age at which most teens take their college entrance exams. And research shows that last year, 1.3 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana for the first time. That's about the same number of students who are expected to take the SATs this fall. Studies show that marijuana use during these peak academic years can have a significant negative impact on academic performance:

Marijuana can hinder a teen's ability to learn. Heavy marijuana use impairs young people's ability to concentrate and retain information.

Marijuana use is linked to poorer grades. A teen with a "D" average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an "A" average.

Marijuana and underage drinking are linked to higher dropout rates. Students who drink or use drugs frequently are up to five times more likely than their peers to drop out of high school. A teenage marijuana user's odds of dropping out are more than twice that of a non-user.

Teens who begin marijuana use at an early age when the brain is still developing may be more vulnerable to neuropsychological deficits, especially verbal abilities.

"Recent research does raise cause for alarm with regard to teen marijuana use and the negative effects on the adolescent body and brain," said Larry S. Fields, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and President of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "In fact, studies show that heavy marijuana use impairs a teen's ability to concentrate and retain information. And this is especially problematic during these peak learning and testing years."

"Together, parents and teachers can lay the foundation for raising healthy, drug-free students," said David Ward, President of the American Council on Education. "We need to protect future citizens and leaders. And we can only do this if we keep our kids away from drugs and help them focus on their academic futures."

Since its inception in 1998, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has conducted outreach to millions of parents, teens and communities to reduce and prevent teen drug use. Counting on an unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds with effective anti-drug messages. On the Media Campaign's Web site for parents, www.TheAntiDrug.com, visitors can read more about how marijuana affects the cognitive development of the teen brain. They can also learn more about the signs and symptoms of marijuana use in order to determine if their child is at risk and what to do if they are indeed using marijuana.

For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, visit www.MediaCampaign.org

RESOURCES:

Marijuana and Academic Success: Fact Sheet
Open Letter (pdf)

Marijuana Awareness Kit

Fight For Kids