There is currently some controversy regarding smoking marijuana as medicine. Many well-intentioned leaders and members of the public have been misled by the well-funded and organized pro-drug legalization lobby into believing that there is merit in their argument that smoking marijuana is safe and effective medicine. A review of scientific research, expert medical testimony, and government agency findings proves this to be incorrect. There is no justification for using marijuana as a medicine. The California Narcotic Officers' Association is made up of more than 7,000 criminal justice professionals dedicated to protecting the public from the devastating effects of substance abuse, whether cocaine, methamphetamine or marijuana. We have seen firsthand the debilitating and often tragic results, both psychologically and physically, of those who choose intoxication as part of their lifestyle. We have studied the issue of medicinal use of marijuana, gathering information from medical experts to present to those we are sworn to protect. We firmly believe that any movement that liberalizes or legalizes substance abuse laws would take us back to the days of the 1970s when we experienced this country's worst drug problem and the resulting consequences. In the 1980s, through the combined and concerted efforts of law enforcement, prevention and treatment professionals, illicit drug use was reduced by 50%. Teens who graduated from high school in the class of 1992 were 50 percent less likely to use drugs than those who graduated from high school in the class of 1979. Substance abuse increases whenever public attitudes are more tolerant of drugs, that is, when they are safe and harmful.... .. half of the document ......the final marijuana movement and its media campaign have helped to contribute to changing attitudes among our youth according to where marijuana is harmless, thus contributing to the increase in marijuana use among our youth after 12 years of steady decline. The main goal of this movement is to allow a minority (less than five percent) of our society to be "stoned" with impunity. This small minority is willing to put our citizens at risk of all the negative and disastrous effects caused to and by those who are intoxicated. What we don't need in this society are more drunk people on our highways, in our workplaces, in schools, universities or in our homes.