Got Weed?
Marijuana
In Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton and the
Narragansett Tribe
"Be aware. Kids can get any drug they want. You can’t keep them away
from it, but you can inform them of it before they see it."
— Anonymous teen
Marijuana is legal, isn’t it?
What are the laws in RI?
it?
Marijuana use is still in violation of the law.
Possession of an ounce or less of marijuana now is a civil violation carrying a $150 fine. The fines
and penalties increase if a person is charged with three violations within 18 months, in which case the
violation would become a misdemeanor with higher fines and/or jail time.
If a minor (under the age of 18) is found in possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, it shall
constitute a civil offense. For the first and second offenses, the offender will be liable to pay a fine of
$150 and will have to complete a court approved drug awareness program and community service.
Failure to complete the course and/or pay the fine within one year of issuance will result in a fine of
$300 and doubles again to $600 if it has not been paid within 90 days. A third offense within 18
months could result in a misdemeanor conviction punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of
up to $500.
R.I. POLICE HAVE ISS UED 850 TICKETS FOR MARIJUANA
POSSESSION IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF NEW LAW: From April 1
through the end of July, magistrates have levied more than $110,000 in fines on 663 adults
and 92 juveniles who have been found to have possessed an ounce or less of non-medical
marijuana. Tracy Breton, Providence Journal, Aug. 10, 2013
If you are charged with growing or cultivating marijuana in Rhode Island, you are facing a
very serious felony drug charge. Rhode Island General Law Section 21-28-4.01(a) prohibits
the growing or cultivation of marijuana and provides that upon conviction you can be
sentenced to up to thirty (30) years in prison and fined up to a $100,000.
What’s the big deal?
It’s just marijunana.
Do we really want our kids
smoking it?
“As a father and police officer I am concerned that the new message being sent to children and young
adults is that marijuana is a safe, recreational drug” Charlestown Police Chief Jeffrey Allen said in an
emailed response. “Clearly this country has enough problems with alcohol, so I am not so sure
decriminalizing marijuana is the way to go, especially as it relates to the message to children. I realize
that many people in our communities smoke marijuana and are otherwise law-abiding, hardworking
citizens, so I am not one to judge them on their personal choices, but again the issue I struggle with is
that when children observe adults smoking pot it will be another learned behavior and as a society we
haven’t done so well with how we have taught our kids to consume alcohol.” (
Buying and using marijuana is illegal. Still, teen marijuana use is at its highest in 30
years, and teens are now more likely to use marijuana than tobacco. In 2011, a national study
showed that one in eight 8th graders, one in four 10th graders, and one in three 12th graders have
used marijuana in the past year.
Youth:
MARIJUANA CAN BE ADDICTIVE and Is MORE ADDICTIVE IF SMOKING STARTED IN
ADOLESCENCE. 9 % of marijuana users will become addicted to it. This number increases to
17% among those who start young –that is 1 in 6 users. 25-50 percent of daily marijuana users
become addicted The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
MARIJUANA IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. Youth with an
average grade of D or below were more than 4 times as likely to have used marijuana in the past
year as youths with an average grade of A. (OSMA)
College Age:
The University of Maryland School of Public Health report connects
student marijuana use and problems with academic retention and performance. The study followed
1,200 college freshmen over a 10-year period and found that substance use, "especially marijuana
use," contributed to "college students skipping more classes, spending less time studying, earning
lower grades, dropping out of college, and being unemployed after college." It adds that early chronic
use can lower your IQ as many as eight points.
The study found that those who smoked more than 15 times a month — were "twice as likely" to experience
discontinuous enrollment than minimal users. Even infrequent users — those who smoked about twice a month —
were 66% more likely than minimal users to be discontinuously enrolled.
Adults:
MARIJUANA USE IMPAIRS DRIVING.
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Marijuana use impairs motor coordination and reaction time.
There is an increased risk of car crashes for drivers who smoke cannabis and the effect
increases when combined with alcohol.
Between 2009 and 2011, Emergency Room rate of visits involving marijuana rose 19
percent. (2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network)
Everyone:
Smoking ANYTHING is never healthy. Marijuana is more harmful than cigarettes
given that the technique for smoking marijuana generally involves unfiltered smoking, larger puffs,
deeper inhalation and longer breath holding. 5 joints a day can be as harmful as 20 cigarettes a day.
Marijuana smoke deposits four times more tar in the lungs and contains 50 percent to 70 percent more
cancer causing substances than tobacco smoke does.
Effects of Marijuana:
Marijuana use directly affects the brain, specifically the parts of the brain responsible for
memory, learning, attention and reaction time. These effects can last up to 28 days after
abstinence from use of the drug. Giedd. J.N. (2004)
Science confirms that the adolescent brain, particularly the part of the brain that regulates
complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making and social behavior, is not
fully developed until about the age of 25. Developing brains are especially susceptible to all of the
negative effects of marijuana and other drug use. Moore TH, Zammit S, Lingford-Huges A., et.al. (Lancet 2007)
Marijuana use has been shown to be significantly linked with mental illness, especially schizophrenia
and psychosis, and also depression and anxiety. Hall W & Degenhard (2009)
Stung by the momentum to legalize marijuana, opponents are fighting back with an unlikely
leader: a recovering drug addict and liberal ex-congressman from Rhode Island named
Patrick Kennedy, a member of the famous political clan. “I cannot be silent, and I don’t
imagine anyone else could be silent if they knew the facts as I know the facts – and all I’m
trying to do is get those facts to the broader public.” said Kennedy, ex-congressman from
RI. He also once backed using marijuana as medicine. “I now stand corrected by the
science.” “When you don’t have the facts and when you don’t have the public policy
experts, then what you have is a vacuum where anecdote and opinion become public policy
and reality. And that’s dangerous.” Miami Herald 2013
What
is medical marijuana? Who is growing it?
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/20/3462008/recovering-drug-addictpatrick.html#storylink=cpy
Since certain states began
permitting dispensing of
medical marijuana,
adolescents’ perceptions
of the harmful effects of
”Medical Marijuana” (DEA)
Smoked marijuana is not medicine. Although promoters of marijuana will tell you that marijuana
is good medicine, there is no evidence that smoking marijuana in its raw form has medical benefits.
No one wants to see their loved ones suffer, but there is no research to support the smoking of
marijuana as medicine. The truth is, there are no FDA approvals and no guidelines for doctors to
prescribe a dosage of smoking marijuana. Currently, only man-made forms of THC are approved by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a very small number of specific medical uses. There are
no FDA-approved medical reasons for children or teenagers to use marijuana or THC in
any form.
“The reality is that less than 5 percent of people in medical marijuana programs around the country have cancer,
HIV, or glaucoma.” (Patrick Kennedy, US Congressman) The typical medical marijuana user in RI is a “30 year old
male with an addictive disease and self- diagnosed pain”. (Kevin Sabet, PhD)
Yet RI, and other states have passed “medical Marijuana” legislation. “Medical’ marijuana programs
require physicians to give authorization for a patient to smoke marijuana but have no dosing or risk
management oversight such as provided with prescription medication. "Medical marijuana" is not
checked for ingredients, strength, or safety. There is no evidence that medical marijuana is any safer
than other marijuana.
Those found in possession of marijuana, even in states with “medical marijuana” laws, can still face
federal prosecution. Marijuana is not legal in the United States.
Marijuana growing in a pot. (DEA)
So who is smoking marijuana?
In the United States:
Levels of current marijuana use
among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders are the highest they
have been in 9 years. The rate of past month marijuana use by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders
exceeds cigarette smoking in all three grade levels.
MTF, 2012
Dubious Distinction: RI
vs. Other 49 States
Marijuana Use in the Past Year among youth, ages 18-25
The following data is taken from
SAMHSA’s 2011 National Survey on
Drug Use and Health: Summary
of National Findings.
Rhode Island ranks second in the
nation for past year marijuana use by
18-25 year olds.
RI ranks third for past year marijuana
use by 12+ year olds.
Marijuana Use in the Past Year among youth,ages 12-17
SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, NSDUH, 2010 (Revised March 2012) and 2011.
A growing number of high school seniors are getting into cars after smoking pot, or with someone who has, a
distressing trend that reflects misperceptions about the dangers of marijuana, researchers said.
Stephen Gray Wallace, a senior adviser for Students against Destructive Decisions, said the report only
strengthened his own group’s concern. “I’m very concerned, when you do the math, which we did," Wallace
says. "That means of 13 million driving age teenagers, as many as 3 million impaired teenagers may be on the
road.” “That’s a problem,” Wallace added, particularly with the disturbing tendency of teenagers who say they
don't think pot is a problem with driving. Lori Santos, NBC News, Sept. 12, 2013.
Who is smoking marijuana in R.I.?
Rhode Island has ranked among the 10 States with the highest rates on the following
measures:
Measure
Past Month Illicit Drug Use
Past Month Marijuana Use
Past Year Marijuana Use
Least Perception of Risk Associated with
Smoking Marijuana Once a Month
Past Month Use of an Illicit Drug Other
Than Marijuana
Past Year Cocaine Use
Past Year Nonmedical Use of Pain Relievers
Past Month Alcohol Use
Past Month Binge Alcohol Use
Age Groups
12+, 18-25
All Age Groups
All Age Groups
All Age Groups
12+, 18-25
12+, 18-25, 26+
18-25
All Age Groups
12+, 18-25, 26+
The data derived principally from national surveys conducted by the Office of Applied Studies, a component of the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration.
RI, Chariho Youth at Risk
The following data about youth marijuana use in RI was compiled
from the November 2012 RI Department of Health Data Brief.*
Teen Marijuana Use: National vs. Rhode Island vs. Chariho average
Nationwide
2012
Rhode Island
2012
Chariho
23%
26%
32.7%
2012 DFC Survey*
29.8%
2013 DFC Survey*
*note that two different surveys were used to compare
RI and Chariho stats, which may have skewed the
reliability of the data presented.
How are we doing in Charlestown, Richmond
and the Narragansett Tribe?
Comparison of Past 30 day use of Marijuana at Chariho, grades 7-12, years 2012, 2013. DFC Survey, 2012, 2013.
2012 was the first year that Marijuana data was collected as an individual drug. In previous years it was included in data listed as
“Marijuana and other illegal drugs” in the DFC Survey.
60
50
40
2012
30
2013
20
10
0
grade 7
grade 8
grade 9
grade 10
grade 11
grade 12
TOTALS
2012: 32.7% of students in grades 7-12 report 30 day past marijuana use.
2013: 29.8% of students in grades 7-12 report 30 day past marijuana use.
LAST 30 DAYS USE: Percent Indicating Marijuana Use
Grade/Gender
Marijuana
Synthetic MJ
Grade 7 Males
10%
8%
Grade 7 Females
10%
7%
Grade 7 Total
10%
7%
Grade 8 Males
6%
9%
Grade 8 Females
11%
11%
Grade 8 Total
9%
10%
Grade 9 Males
20%
13%
Grade 9 Females
16%
14%
Grade 9 Total
17%
14%
Grade 10 Males
32%
27%
Grade 10 Females
44%
33%
Grade 10 Total
38%
30%
Grade 11 Males
52%
37%
Grade 11 Females
32%
Grade 11 Total
44%
48%
Grade 12 Males
52%
37%
Grade 12 Females
62%
46%
35%
Grade 12 Total
57%
41%
Grand Total
29%
23%
Think our kids aren’t using?
40%
Where are kids getting their marijuana?
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Bought
Gave
Got
marijuana
someone
marijuana
from a friend else money
from a
or
to buy
sibling
acquaintancemarijuana for
me
Got
Got
Got
Got
Got
Got
marijuana marijuana marijuana marijuana marijuana marijuana in
from a
from a from a friend from a party from a party another way
parent w/o parent with (not at a with an adult without an
their
their
party)
present adult present
knowledge knowledge
2013 Drug Free Community Survey
Overall, the majority of students who report smoking marijuana begin using between the ages of 12 and 15. A sub
group of users claim to have started earlier, at age 10 or younger, which may be a reason that could lead to a
relatively high number of chronic (daily) users. 19% of smokers indicating they smoked 40 or more times over
the past 30 days.
How can I tell if my kids are smoking it?
Being high on marijuana is unique to the individual, but there are some signs you may notice if your child has recently
smoked pot:
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While we would like to think that our teens do not succumb to peer pressure, many times they do. And as
marijuana is a social drug, if your teen’s peer group is using the marijuana, chances go up that your teen is using it
too.
A distinct smell as marijuana has its own smell and if you have ever smelled it you would know it to smell it again.
So use of incense, room deodorant, or perfume to hide orders might be a sign.
Your teen can have red, bloodshot eyes, so look for bottles of eye drops.
Your teen could be very giddy or very tired, depending on when he got high. He could go from giddy to very tired,
as well.
Your teen may be paranoid or filled with anxiety.
Your teen may get the 'munchies' and be hungry for any food they can get their hands on.
Increased secrecy about possessions or activities.
Evidence of drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc.
Stealing money or having money that cannot be accounted for.
Things in your teen's world start to go downhill. With prolonged regular use of marijuana, your teen can start
to have problems with school work, grades decline, truancy issues, bad moods, quitting extra-curricular activities and
other interests, etc. Parents will notice a decline in attitude, appearance and behavior. While one time use may not
have this effect to the point where a parent will pick up on the signs, using marijuana regularly will lead to these signs
becoming apparent.
What if I suspect my teen is smoking marijuana?
Contact the Chariho Task Force Prevention Counselors. These counselors work at the school because of
support from RISAPA, state and federal grants, and support from the Chariho Regional School District. A
Counselor is available for youth and their families at both the Chariho Middle School and Chariho High
School. Referrals are confidential under the RI Substance Abuse law.
Chariho Middle School Prevention Counselor: Terri Censabella, MA, CDP, ACPS
Call: 364-0651, ext. 2264
[email protected]
Chariho High School Prevention Counselor: Deirdre Murphy, MSW
Call: 344-7778, ext. 2143
[email protected]
You can use a drug testing kit for marijuana use. Free drug testing kits are available at Charlestown,
Richmond Hopkinton, and Narragansett Tribal Police Departments.
What does marijuana look like?
This is a small amount, ready to be smoked. This is also a form in
which parents might find around the house if their children are
smoking marijuana. This a relatively small amount of marijuana
and is readily available in our community.
This is another way parents might find marijuana - in plastic ziplock type bags. This is a large bag and a large amount of pot.
You might find smaller plastic bags with residue inside.
If your child is using marijuana, this is most likely the form
that you might find it in if you discover it in your home rolled-up, ready-to-smoke marijuana cigarettes or joints.
Photos by DEA
Parents’ attentiveness is critical.
How do I talk to my kids about marijuana?
Getty Images
More than one in five parents believe they have little influence in preventing teens from using
illicit substances. In fact, parents are among the most influential factors in
preventing children’s substance use.
A new report indicates that more than one in five parents of teens aged 12 to 17 (22.3 percent) think what they
say has little influence on whether or not their child uses illicit substances, tobacco, or alcohol. This report by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2013) also shows one in ten
parents said they did not talk to their teens about the dangers of using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs even
though 67.6 percent of these parents who had not spoken to their children thought they would influence whether
their child uses drugs if they spoke to them.
In fact national surveys of teens ages 12 to 17 show that teens who believe their parents would strongly
disapprove of their substance use were less likely to use substances than other. For example, current
marijuana use was less prevalent among youth who believed their parents would strongly disapprove of their
trying marijuana once or twice than among youth who did not perceive this level of disapproval (5.0 percent vs.
31.5 percent).
Parents can draw upon a number of resources to help them talk with their children about substance use. One
resource is SAMHSA’s "Navigating the Teen Years: A Parent’s Handbook for Raising Healthy Teens,"
available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Navigating-the-Teen-Years-A-Parent-s-Handbook-for-RaisingHealth-Teens/PHD1127.
Talking with your child when they are in elementary or middle school in an honest and open way
can prevent drug use in the future. The following are tips on for how to discuss marijuana with
your child:
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Ask what he/she has heard about using marijuana. Listen carefully, pay attention, and do
not interrupt. Avoid making negative or angry comments.
Offer your child facts about the risks and consequences of smoking marijuana
Ask your child to give examples of the effects of marijuana. This will help you make sure
that your child understands what you talked about.
If you choose to talk to your child about your own experiences with drugs, be honest about
your reasons, be careful not to glamorize marijuana or other drugs, and discuss the
negative things and dangers that resulted from you or your friends' drug use.
Marijuana use in teens can lead to long-term problems. Teens rarely think they will end up with
problems related to marijuana use, so it is important to begin discussing the risks with your child early
and continue this discussion over time. Talking openly with your child will help with prevention. If your
child is already using, open communication will help you know more about his or her use. If you have
concerns about your child's drug use, talk with your child's pediatrician or a qualified mental health
professional. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-teens
How about Synthetic marijuana? It this legal?
DEA
There are dozens of products today that are being sold as herbal smoking blends, legal bud, herbal smoke, marijuana
alternatives, fake weed or herbal buds. Some of the brand names of the synthetic marijuana products include: Blaze,
Blueberry Haze, Dank, Demon Passion Smoke, Genie, Hawaiian Hybrid, K2, Magma, Ninja, Nitro, Ono Budz, Panama
Red Ball, Puff, Sativah Herbal Smoke, Skunk, Spice, Ultra Chronic and Voodoo Spice.
What Does Fake Weed Look Like? Synthetic marijuana is a mixture of dried leaves from traditional herbal plants. They
are various colors including green, brown, blonde and red. They are sold in small packets approximately 2 by 3 inches.
The packets are foil packs or plastic zip bags (see photos above).
For several years, Spice mixtures have been easy to purchase in head shops and gas stations and via the Internet.
Because the chemicals used in Spice have a high potential for abuse and no medical benefit, the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) has designated the five active chemicals most frequently found in Spice as Schedule I controlled
substances, making it illegal to sell, buy, or possess them. Spice products are popular among young people; of the illicit
drugs most used by high-school seniors, they are second only to marijuana.
On July 15, 2013, Governor Chaffee signed into law a ban of another class of substances, found in a wide
range of fake marijuana products, by adding them to Schedule 1 of the Rhode Island Uniform Controlled
Substance Act. Schedule 1 substances are deemed to have a “high potential for abuse” and “no accepted
medical use.”
Isn’t legalization of marijuana inevitable?
“Marijuana legalization is far from inevitable,” said Carolyn Short, Chairperson of Keep AZ Drug Free, in a recent
opinion editorial on marijuana legalization published this week in the state’s leading political newspaper, Arizona
Capitol Times.
The piece http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2013/02/25/marijuana-legalization-is-far-from-inevitable/#ixzz2M3crmOqJ
points out that although national media attention has been given to the issue of legalization in Colorado and
Washington, it was the anti-marijuana forces that outweighed the legalization movement, only losing
“when outspent by large margins,” Short wrote.
In the article, Short gives a good argument to the readership of the newspaper, mainly politicians and other policy
makers, that coalitions are not going to give up the fight to educate communities about the dangers of using
marijuana. “So don’t assume that Americans are ready to legalize pot, or that Arizonans are happy with their medical
marijuana law. If that were true, the marijuana lobby wouldn’t be spending millions trying to convince us.”
What is OSPA?
OCEAN STATE PREVENTION ALLIANCE
Youth Shouldn’t Be Wasted
The Ocean State Prevention Alliance (OSPA) is a coalition of prevention specialists and mental
health professionals committed to reducing the negative impact that marijuana has on Rhode Island
communities, especially among youth. The Chariho Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention is an
active member of this alliance.
To keep our youth out of harm’s way, Rhode Island legislators and policy makers must ensure that all
current and proposed marijuana-related legislation, regulations and policies:
 Incorporate clear enforceable safeguards that reduce both perceived availability and the risk of
access by youth.
 Include programs and funding to communicate the message that adolescent marijuana use
can have harmful and lasting effects on physical, mental and emotional health.
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How to Prevent the Negative Impact of Marijuana on Rhode Island
Youth.
There’s going to be millions of dollars spent by
political operatives to deliver messages that seep into the consciousness of young people, whether it’s on
legalizing marijuana or other areas. And these campaigns are grounded purely in political advocacy. They’re
not grounded in science. They’re not grounded in research. They’re grounded in politics. – National Institute
onDrug Abuse Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
Legislation that leads to an increase in the availability of marijuana must be accompanied by strictly
enforced regulations that prevent youth access to marijuana.
Distinguish FACT from FICTION.
Weigh the EVIDENCE.
www.charihotaskforce.com
Contact us for more information. Join in the effort to
keep Chariho a safe and substance free community.