Getting High

With Cindy Rich, Washingtonian staff writer. Her story, Getting High, is in the November issue.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004; 2 PM ET

Editor’s Note: Washingtonian Online moderators and hosts retain editorial control over chats and choose the most relevant questions; hosts can decline to answer questions.

Washington, DC: On the numbers in the article about what percentage of kids at Walter Johnson and Whitman smoke, did you ever think about the fact that kids exaggerate? What makes you sure you can trust numbers like that?

Cindy Rich: Yes, I did take that into consideration. I did speak to students who'd say "Oh, everyone smokes." Or, "Definitely 80 %" (at other schools, too, not those two in particular). I'd ask the question again and remind the student to think beyond his or her own group of friends—to think about the entire student body. Sometimes the numbers went down. I was hearing similar percentages again and again, and felt comfortable with those numbers. I may have quoted one student from each of those schools, but I spoke to many more who had similar responses.

Bethesda, MD: Did you get the sense that a lot of high school kids just aren't worried about getting in trouble, that they think that can always outsmart their parents? Seems like they take a lot of risks smoking in the house, etc.

Cindy Rich: I did get that sense from some of the teens I interviewed, but not everybody. They seemed to have lots of the tricks figured out—ways to hide their pot, ways to hide the odor at home or in a car—and some were proud of that. Many didn't seem too concerned about getting grounded for a few weeks, and yes, some were able to talk their way out of trouble. At the same time, I interviewed students whose parents had threatened them with urine tests—and that they took very seriously. As with anything, it depends on the person.

Rockville, MD: Cindy, What kind of response have you received from the community?

Cindy Rich: We've been hearing that readers think the story opened some eyes. One person called it "a wake-up call" to parents.

Silver Spring, MD: What were you most surprised to find out while you reported this story?

Cindy Rich: I'd say what surprised me the most was the number of teen smokers who drive high. Of all the teens I interviewed, only a few said they wouldn't drive after smoking, and in those cases they'd made that decision after they drove high and didn't feel in control. I think teens are getting the message about drunk driving, but they're not hearing any messages when it comes to driving high. Most do believe that marijuana makes them better drivers—more alert and aware, more paranoid. I always find it interesting when you hear about a car accident, involving teens, on the local news and at the end of the report, you'll hear something along the lines of "police do not think alcohol was a factor in the accident"—but you don't hear "alcohol or drugs."

Some teens go to a party and the designated driver becomes the one who's smoking pot but not drinking.

Ruckersville, VA: Do most parents think "not my kid" or do they just not see it as that big of a problem?

Cindy Rich: That's hard to say. I did hear from administrators and substance abuse experts that lots of parents are absolutely shocked when their teens are busted for marijuana use or dealing—that the parents really had no idea. I think that's especially true for parents of top students in the class, or star athletes. At the same time, I met some teens who said they knew their parents knew, but it just wasn't talked about—that the only thing that really mattered to their parents was that they didn't get in trouble with the law (one student said his parents just didn't want him to do anything that would embarrass them) and they stayed safe. As long as they kept their grades up, their parents weren't going to bother them about the pot. But the majority of the teens I spoke to said their parents didn't have a clue about their habit.

Arlington, VA: Have you heard if your article has made local schools crack down more on pot, or change or rethink any policies?

Cindy Rich: I haven't heard anything yet about changes in policies, but I have heard from school newspaper reporters who are working on stories about marijuana use, and the school's reaction to my story. But I do think that schools were already cracking down on this problem, as indicated in the piece.

Culpeper, VA: Since marijuana is considered a "gateway drug," why do you think most of these teens have stayed away from "harder" drugs?

Cindy Rich: Many of them laughed at the idea of trying anything harder and said they'd never be that stupid. The sense I got was that some teens think it's only a gateway drug if you let it be—that it depends on whether you let pot take over your life or you keep the habit under control. If you smoke all the time, they say, you won't have good judgment and might try other drugs. You also might get bored once you don't feel the same effects from the marijuana, and look for a different kind of high. At the same time, I met teens who did smoke a few times a day and continued to get a high they enjoyed. So it's hard to say. They also aren't in the college environment yet, so it was hard for them to predict how they'd behave down the road.

Bethesda, MD: I was moved by the way you presented the problem in our schools today. You seem to have a very thorough perspective from all angles. Is punishment the answer? “Drug-free School Zone” signs? Education? How can we solve this tragedy with our kids?

Cindy Rich: That's a tough question. I don't have the answer, but I will say the sense I got from teens is that there's not a lot of communication. Most of them aren't talking with their parents about drugs—maybe alcohol, or sex, but not pot. School assemblies tend to stick to alcohol and drunk driving, although many teens are hearing about marijuana in tenth grade health classes. As far as punishment goes, I met teens who'd been arrested for marijuana possession and it didn't stop them from smoking again—and teens who'd been stopped with marijuana in their cars, and still drove around with marijuana—just tried to find a better hiding place.

We're starting to see more commercials and newspaper ads that focus on marijuana, specifically, so we will see the impact that those have.

Charlottesville, VA: Where are these kids getting all this money? Why aren't the parents keeping better track of how much money their kids have and how much they really need?

Cindy Rich: Some of them have after-school jobs, some get money from parents every week, some ask parents for money for one thing—like clothes, the movies, dinner out—and use it towards pot, instead. The seniors I interviewed said pot keeps getting cheaper as you get older. I met some teens who would say they were going to the movies but use the money to smoke, then come home and tell their parents about the movie.

I'm not sure why parents aren't keeping better track of how much money their kids have. I think one possible reason is that parents don't want their kids—especially kids who have never been in trouble—to think they don't trust them.

Takoma Park, MD: I'm wondering how new this pot phenomenon is. When I went to high school 15 years ago, pot was around--and the "smart" or "good" kids sometimes did it, too. What's changed?

Cindy Rich: I think it depends who you ask—where that person grew up and went to school. I don't necessarily think this is a new phenomenon, but there are differences. I was in high school 10 years ago in Montgomery County and pot was around then, too, but you pretty much knew who smoked. From my reporting, it seems that pot is more mainstream now—there's no one group using it; there are kids from all different groups experimenting and using. I also think that teens are more blatant about their behavior—they're willing to bring pot to school or exchange it in the hallways, they're willing to smoke in their own houses when mom or dad might be home soon, or sneak a blunt in the backyard. When I was in high school, if a student had been caught high in class it would have been the talk of the school. These days it isn't so shocking, according to the students. They're taking more risks—using lingo around parents and hoping their parents don't catch on.

Northwest DC: What made you want to write this story?

Cindy Rich: I was actually researching a different story relating to teenagers, and started to hear a lot about marijuana use. Teens were saying they thought parents would be shocked to know how many of the "good kids" were smoking pot. They were also talking about pot as if it was no big deal, and did not seem at all fearful of its effects. So I started asking around, and talking to more and more teens, and got the sense that this was something the community might not be fully aware of.

Friendship Heights: How did you find kids to interview? Were they forthcoming with their habits? Were they ashamed or proud?

Cindy Rich: I talked to people I knew, approached teens at the mall and in other spots where I knew they hung out, then eventually asked them to put me in touch with other people they knew. I was careful not to focus on single cliques—I wanted to talk to students in all different groups. Many were forthcoming about their habits after a few conversations. I'd say the majority of the teen smokers I interviewed were proud, especially those who had high grades in honors classes or were going to top colleges. They acted as if they'd gone against the myth that smoking pot can have a negative impact on your life, which they were excited about.

Frederick, MD: Great story! Did the kids open up to you easily or did you have to earn their trust?

Cindy Rich: Some of the teens opened up easily; with others it took time, and a few interviews, before they really started to share their experiences and views. I think teens are used to talking and hearing about binge drinking and drunk driving—but this was something I felt like they hadn't talked much about before. I was asking questions that some of them had never given much thought to, causing them to think about things they'd ignored in the past—especially when it came to what their parents might know/not know.

Salisbury, MD: Do you think open lunch contributes to the problem?

Cindy Rich: I asked a lot of people that question and often heard the same response—that having open lunch makes it easier for kids to smoke (since they are on their own for 45 minutes) but it doesn't encourage kids who wouldn't normally smoke to go out and get high. So it's hard to say. I interviewed one student who called open-lunch "a 45 minute weed break" but others who said they'd smoke at night or on weekends but never during lunch, that it was too risky—and some just didn't want to be high during the day.

Fairfax, VA: Cindy, did you ride along with these kids as they smoked in their cars and hang out at parties? How did you get such access and convince these kids to let an adult view and report on their smoking habits?

Cindy Rich: No, I did not ride along with teens as they smoked in their cars. As stated at the end of the article, I did not witness any of them smoking marijuana. The first scene of the piece was relayed to me in detail by someone who was there. I did go to some parties briefly while reporting the story. I told the students what I was writing about and asked them if I could come to any of their parties to see what the parties were like, first-hand. I told them I would not use any specific addresses or details about the house where the party was taking place—and no names, but that was true for every aspect of the story. I also interviewed kids about parties—so the information came from both places.

Northwest DC: Very interesting article, particularly from a parent's point of view. Your article suggests that marijuana use is more prevalent today than, say, ten years ago, or at least involves a broader spectrum of students. An odd question, perhaps, but how about cigarette smoking? How prevalent does that appear to be, and could you tell from your reporting whether it seems to have any correlation at all with pot smoking?

Cindy Rich: I did not focus on cigarette smoking, so I can't answer the first part of your question. But I will say that I met some students who smoked pot daily but were disgusted by cigarette smoke, including one who let friends smoke pot in his car, but not cigarettes. Some of the teens smoked cigarettes, too. Many did not.

Annapolis, MD: What suggestions would you have for how a school can discourage this behavior?

Cindy Rich: As stated in the article, I think schools are becoming increasingly aware of this issue, and cracking down from a discipline standpoint. I think more communication, between teachers and students, or administrators and teachers, might have an impact. Schools might consider school-wide assemblies, or informational activities, similar to those for alcohol and drunk driving.

Annapolis, MD: Is there anything these kids are scared of in using marijuana -- such as you don't know where you are getting it and what's in it, what the legal penalties are? What are the kids really risking here -- and do they perceive a risk?

Cindy Rich: I asked that question, and I found that most teens were not worried about where their marijuana came from—some said they thought they knew where it came from—or what it might contain. It's not something that they'd ever question at a party before they took a bong hit. But I think that comes back to a bigger issue of some teens thinking they are invincible—that's not something that's specific to their marijuana use. As far as being afraid of the penalities...many didn't know what the penalties are. They're afraid of interactions with the police, though—enough so that most said they'd run from a party and get into their cars and drive off, even if they'd been drinking, to avoid being busted by a police officer.

Washington, DC: I understand that Edmund Burke school used to have a reputation as a "stoner" school, but that in recent years that has been less true -- that it's students are not as involved, but the reputation lives on. What might you know about that?

Cindy Rich: I don't know too much about the school's reputation beyond what you've said. I've heard something similar.

Annapolis, MD: Where are the kids buying it?

Cindy Rich: Some kids buy drugs at school—in the hallway or the parking lot; others buy from friends they work with outside of school, or people on their sports teams. I do not know specific locations, beyond what is in the story.

Annapolis, MD: So what advice would you have for parents?

Cindy Rich: My reporting showed me that parents and kids aren't having open conversations about marijuana use, so that would be my suggestion. Experts have said that some teens long to hear more concrete advice from their parents. There are many Web sites and organizations—listed on page 189 of the November issue—that offer advice on this subject, including tips on talking to your kids. One local organization, Community of Concern (communitiesofconcern.org), has produced a very helpful pamphlet for parents that has made its way into schools across the country. The group also has an e-learning course on its website.

In talking to parents, I've heard some say that they're sure to have a conversation with their teen when he or she gets home from a party, to see if they can smell anything or sense that their teen is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Others have said they check pockets, drawers, and rooms.

Bethesda, MD: All the parents I talk with debate their kids using alcohol versus pot: If your kids are going to get high (and there's a theory that people have a primal urge to alter their consciousness), which would you rather have? Alcohol is legal but you keep hearing about kids drinking and then wrecking cars. Pot is illegal and smoking is a terrible, unhealthy habit. What are your pros and cons of each?

Cindy Rich: It's interesting you say that because I did meet teens who said "My parents would rather I get high than get drunk." Maybe that's a message those parents are sending out? Obviously each has its cons and its risks. But this gets back to the issue of driving—teens worry about drunk-driving (not driving high), and from what they say, their parents worry only about that, too.