According to an AAP periodic survey on drug legalization, Academy members remain divided on the legal status of marijuana, but maintain that the legal status of most other drugs should remain as it is now.
More than two-thirds of AAP fellows agree that possession or sale of heroin, cocaine and psychedelic drugs should remain a felony, while tobacco and alcohol should remain legal and under current regulations.
The survey was initiated by the AAP Committee on Substance Abuse (COSA), and was conducted from July to November 1995 by the AAP Division of Child Health Research. Titled "Issues Surrounding Drug Legalization," the study was the 31st AAP Periodic Survey of Fellows.
The eight-page questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 1,636 active U.S. Fellows, with 1,099 responding, for a 67 percent response rate.
Nearly 58 percent of respondents were male, and the remaining 42 percent were female. Nearly 68 percent were older than 45, and the remaining 32 percent were 45 or younger. Overall, respondents' mean age was 41. The sample is representative of actual AAP membership, of which 56 percent is male, 43 percent female, and the mean age is 42.3 years, according to Bob Vasquez, Division of Member Services director.
Pediatricians were asked their opinions on: the legal status of drugs for adults; the possible effects of legalizing drugs; the effectiveness of substance use prevention methods; drug prevention and treatment policies; and "harm reduction" drug policies.
On the legal status of marijuana, no consensus emerged, reflecting, perhaps the disparate opinions nationwide on the issue. However, nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of the pediatricians surveyed chose options less restrictive than current laws.
On the liberal side, nearly one in five (18 percent) thought the sale, distribution and possession of marijuana should be legal, subject to regulations.
Taking a more moderate stance, nearly one-third (31 percent) said marijuana should be legal for medical purposes, by prescription only. Another one-quarter (24 percent) thought marijuana possession should be decriminalized: Sale and distribution would remain illegal, but personal possession would be merely a misdemeanor, with penalties reduced (as in a traffic citation) or eliminated altogether.
At the conservative end, just over a quarter (26 percent) felt the legal status of marijuana should remain a felony.
When responses were analyzed by age and gender, pediatricians who were older and male favored marijuana decriminalization or legalization. In contrast, pediatricians who were younger and female tended to favor prescription-only or felony status. No differences were noted based on practice location, setting or subspecialty.
Regarding all currently illegal drugs, pediatricians were skeptical about any legalization attempts. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) felt that more study is needed before any legalization action is taken. More than half (54 percent) thought decriminalization of drugs would increase drug use, 24 percent disagreed and 22 percent were uncertain.
The survey also revealed the following pediatrician opinions:
- 61 percent believed legalizing drugs would increase the overall number of drug users;
- 54 percent did not believe that legalizing drugs would reduce drug-related violence; and
- 65 percent did not believe that legalizing drugs would alleviate crime, violence and other problems of inner-city youth.
In addition, pediatricians were divided (44 percent agreed, 40 percent disagreed) on whether banning tobacco would eliminate or postpone its initial use among adolescents.
Most pediatricians (60 percent) felt "harm reduction" drug policies - needle exchange programs, safe-use educational campaigns and methadone main- tenance - would not increase total drug use, and nearly half (46 percent) felt such policies would not send the wrong message about drug use. However, few pediatricians (25 percent) thought such policies should be the primary focus of U.S. drug policy and law.
Instead, most pediatricians (77 percent) believe the prime focus of U.S. drug policy and law should be reduction of drug use through prevention education and treatment programs. Less than one-fourth (22 percent) believed outpatient treatment programs were effective.
An overwhelming majority (93 percent) agreed that the most effective way to prevent or reduce teen alcohol and drug use was through family communication and interaction. Other preventive measures that drew pediatricians support included: social and resistance skill training (endorsed by 86 percent); legal action against drug suppliers and distributors (endorsed by 72 percent); and educational programs such as "DARE" (endorsed by 68 percent).
"Zero tolerance" laws, which punish users regardless of the amount or type of drug used, drew mixed reactions as a deterrent to adolescent substance abuse. While 42 percent of pediatricians found such laws effective, 32 percent found them ineffective, and 26 percent were undecided.
For more information, contact Karen O'Connor, Division of Child Health Research, (800) 433-9016, ext. 7630.
Table
Attitudes on Marijuana
Pediatricians’ opinions regarding what should be the legal status of possession or
use of marijuana by adults: Percent reporting: n=1025
Legalize
(Subject to regulations that control
possession and sale.) | | 18.2% |
Prescription only
(Legal for medical purposes, i.e.,
doctors are exempt from criminal
sanctions for providing drug to a
certain class of patient.) | | 31.4% |
Decriminalize
(Sale and distribution are illegal but
penalties for personal possession are
reduced or eliminated.) | | 24.4% |
| | ===== |
| | 74.0% |
Felony
(Sale, distribution and possession are
major crimes with penalties of
imprisonment for more than one year.) | | 26.0% |
| | ===== |
| TOTAL | | 100.0% |
Source: AAP Periodic Survey #31, Division of Child Health Research
