Do you think smoking marijuana is cool? Unfortunately, too many kids do. Last week a government study showed that pot smoking is rising dangerously among kids ages 12 to 17. In 1992 just 4% of kids in this age group said they smoked the illegal weed. This year the figure is up to 7.3%.
Why is pot becoming more popular with kids? One factor, says Lee P. Brown, the top White House antidrug official, may be the entertainment industry. Some music groups make marijuana seem cool by singing about it and showing it on albums.
Another factor is ignorance of the dangers. "Some kids believe the myth that marijuana can't hurt them," says Donna Shalala, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. In an interview with Time For Kids, Shalala pointed out that pot "hurts your brain, heart and lungs. It even limits how much you can learn and remember."
Shalala's department is working hard to inform kids about the risks of using drugs. "We need to listen to what kids have to say. And we need to answer their questions honestly."