Taking Marijuana in a Pill May Be Better for Pain Relief Than Smoking It: Study

Legalizing marijuana will not solve the country's drug problem, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, said Wednesday.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Kerlikowske said state laws in Colorado and Washington that have legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana present complex questions, UPI reports.

"The Justice Department's responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged," he said. "Neither a state nor the executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress, nor should we lose sight of the fundamental fact that using marijuana has public health consequences, and the most responsible public policy is one that restricts its availability and discourages its use."

The Obama Administration has committed more than $10 billion to drug education programs and support for expanding access to drug addiction treatment, he told reporters.

One-fourth of teens have misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime, a 33 percent increase over the last five years, a new study finds. One in eight teens say they have taken Ritalin or Adderall when it was not prescribed for them, according to the study by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and the MetLife Foundation.

The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) found parents and caregivers have lax attitudes and beliefs about teen medicine abuse. Almost one-third of parents say they believe prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can improve a teen's academic performance, even if the young person does not have ADHD.

Of teens who said they abused prescription medications, 20 percent did so before age 14. One-third of teens say they believe "it's okay to use prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them to deal with an injury, illness or physical pain." The study found 27 percent incorrectly believe that misusing and abusing prescription drugs is safer than using street drugs.

Parents are much more likely to talk to teens about marijuana or alcohol than prescription drugs. Teens reported that during the last conversation they had with their parents about substance abuse, only 16 percent said they discussed the misuse or abuse of prescription painkillers, and 14 percent discussed any type of prescription drug. In contrast, 81 percent said they have discussed marijuana and 80 percent have discussed alcohol.

A new survey of teens finds 23 percent admit they have driven under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or marijuana. Almost 20 percent of teens who drink and drive say alcohol improves their driving, while 34 percent say the same about marijuana.

Teens are more likely to drink when they are less heavily supervised, according to the survey by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and insurance company Liberty Mutual. The survey included 1,708 high school students in grades 11 and 12, USA Today reports.

The survey found 11 percent of teens admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the summer in general; 8 percent on July 4th; 6 percent on prom night; and 5 percent to celebrate graduation.

Earlier this year, the Governors Highway Safety Association released a report stating the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths in passenger vehicles increased from 202 to 240 in the first six months of 2012-a 19 percent jump from same period the previous year.