Doesn’t everybody experiment with drugs?

  • No, in fact, marijuana use is decreasing. Historically, fewer of our youth use than those who chose to abstain.
    Source: Monitoring the Future, 2006 and Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2004, December 21). National press release, "Overall teen drug use continues gradual decline; but use of inhalants rises." University of Michigan News and Information Services

  • It has been documented that when the perception of harm decreases, then drug use increases – if drugs are legalized, it is certain that perceived harms will decrease and so the incidence of use will go up.
    Source: DEA, Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization, October 2002 and Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2004, December 21). National press release, "Overall teen drug use continues gradual decline; but use of inhalants rises." University of Michigan News and Information Services

  • It is a potency issue - marijuana is much stronger than in years past because of advances in horticulture and hydroponics. It is therefore more dangerous and more likely to lead to the use of multiple drugs (poly-drug use), especially after “experimentation.”
    Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Research Report Series: Marijuana Abuse and Marijuana Potency Monitoring Project, University of Mississippi, 2002