Just released from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, t his document provides critical information on the myths and misperceptions surrounding the most widely used illicit drug in America . Common myths countered by this resource include:
MYTH: Youth experimentation with marijuana is inevitable.
FACT: Drug use can be prevented. The majority of young people do not use drugs, and there are provenways to keep kids from starting. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana use is not a rite of passage.
MYTH: Marijuana is not addictive.
FACT: Marijuana has been proven to be a psychologically addictive drug. Scientists at the National Instituteon Drug Abuse have demonstrated that laboratory animals will self-administer THC in doses equivalent to those used by humans who smoke marijuana.
More information on the myths surrounding marijuana are addressed in "What Americans Need to Know About Marijuana"
The publication mentioned can be accessed at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/mj_rev.pdf .
Other ONDP drug fact sheets and publications can be accessed via the world wide web at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/