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CapiIIIl News &TVia
LANSING - The chief of
Midtigan'S ce abuse of­
fice and his boss, the acting
director of public health do not
see f,)'e 0 to eye 0 the subject of
marIjuana leplizatio
When asked in Capital
oNe Service interview about
the benefits of legalizatioa,
Kenneth Eato �ector of the
office of Substance Abuse Ser­
vices, said that he wishes
marijuana could be legalized,
conten� that it could help
destroy the underground drug
economy.
However, those on opposite
. des of the issue cannot even
get together to discuss it, he
said
Acting Public Health Direc­
tor Raj M. Wiener, when asked
Calls
f iffer
test
eens
WdStewart
CapiIIIl Newj Service
LA�SING - Michigan's
p blic health chief feels that the
test which determines drunken
driving ould be stiffened for
teenagers.
Raj M. Wiener, acting direc­
tor of the Michigan Department
of Public Health, said
teenagers' naturally low
tolerance for alco 01 warrants a
10 er: blood alcohol lever re­
quirement for them to be ron­
sidered drunk.
Iti ould r Uy be in favor of
lowering the blood alcohol level
for teenagers, tt he said ttl know
it is against th law for teenagers
to drink, but it is a fact that they
do." '
According to Susan Beech,
. of the State Police traffic ser­
vices division, teenagers were
responsible for 12.1 percent of
Michigan's alcohol-related traf­
fic fatalities in 1987. Teens com­
prise 7.7 percent of Michigan's
Iisenceddrivers.
Wiener said that statistic
could be lowered if the blood al­
cohol level for teenagers were
reduced. 0
"The same mount of alcohol
has a different effect on a 145-
pound teenager than it does on
'I a 145-pound adult," she said "I
think that is a biological fact that
we should take into account
hen we consider such move."
"I believe a 10 er t vel uld
help deter a lot of teenagers
from driving drun "I
Capt. Martin Hard nberg, of
the Hoi d Police Department
disagreed that a lower blood al­
cohol level bould be enforced
for teenagers.
"I uld not be in favor of
singling out one specific age
group," e said. IT don't think
t 0 d be fair.
bo t Eaton', roDUDents, said
simply: "Ken and I don't think
alike on tim· ue."
The office of Substance
Abuse Services is the agency
designated to implement the
states drug treatment programs
and to oversee the more than
600 public and private sub­
st nee abuse programs
t tewide. An autonomous
ency, the office receives its
funding from the Department of
Public Health budget
Eaton said that there was no
w y to predict exactly what
would happen to marijuana use
if it became availiable over-the­
counter, but he did say that
there would most likely be an· -
crease in the number of pot
smokers.
-"How Ioog .
what kinds of problems .
I
bring with it, I have really no way
of est;imatjn&" be said. "That's
why I say I wu could, but I
really don't think that it is a safe
option fo US to pursue."
At least by legalizing
marijuana, the product safety
could be improved, Eaton said
, H someone goes out and buys
. on the street, they don't know
what they are getting." he said
"They don't know what's in it,
they don't mo its potency.
Sometimes there is a lot of other
stuff in the marijuana that is
purchased on the streets."
Bringing pot "above the
table" ould not solve any
problems, Wiener said, com-
paring it to alcohol 0
"Is. easier to deal with the'
problems of alcohol? I don't
think so, "she said "We know
that marijuana is a mind-alter-
"Alcohol is a major problem
in this state and I can't see ad­
ding to the list of those things _
that destroy lives, '! she said
Office of Substance Abuse
Service figures show that 75 per­
cent of the people admitted into
treatmentprograms around the
state are dmitted because of al-
ing substance, and I, would not
condone legalizing anything
that would do that I think that
our society is facing enough
problems with even legalized
substances like alcohol"
Wiener, appointed acting
director by Gov. James
Blanchard, takes a hard-lin
,outlook regarding-drugs - in-
cluding alcohol; she id she
was in favor ofloweripg e legal
blood-alcohol lever from .01
percent to tt.0001."
--Top heal h pos
o I ministrative experience, five °Of case at all
By Heaze. which are in health ad- "Otar1ie got a better offer,"
CapiIIIl News Sema mininiwation or 2.) have a de- he said "There is not much you
LANSING Gov. gree above b cealaureate in ad-. can do about that"
Blanchard still hasn't chosea a ministration or public health Despite her ineligibility to be
permanent state p�blic h� and 6\4e �. of experience a the permanent director, Wiener
director, although It has been health admin trator. has been doing a respectable job
nearly a year since former direc- Wiener will be eligible in as acting director, she said. -
tor Gloria Smith left. 0 February if she is still acting " think people have felt that
Smith left to bea>me dean of .director. the department is in good
o the nursi college at Wayne . Tber� is no limitation?n the hands," she said "We have not
State UniYersity. time Wiener can serve m her been standing still, weh vebeen
"The number of applican aurent capacity, moving forward on issues,"
has not been great," said Greg Morris denied a r�or .�at Nancy Fiedler, a spokesper-
Morris, head of the govemor's Gov. James Blachard IS w ttmg son for the Michigan Hospital
perso nel department "There for Wiener to be eligib . Association, agreed
is no sense in settling for some- l"We have not had any plan to "Raj Wiener has been one of
thing less than we had hoped .delay picking somebody until the most effective directors (of
for." _Raj meets the criteria," Morris the public health department),
Acting Director Raj Wiener said. "That as not been the at least in an acting capacity:
has been running the depart- game plan." he said.
ment since Dec. 20. 1987, but is The governor had discussed The
not one of the candidates fo the 'the post with Dr. Charles Vin-- new direct r have a public
director position. cent of Wayne State University, health adm nistration back-
Wiener said that a new direc- but Vi n ce nth ass i n ce ground, but no sponsored a
tor has been difficult to find � withdrawn his name. , specific can date.
cause candidates must meet "Speculation is that he got \yiener w uld not speculate
certain criteria, restless after waiting around for as to W 0 the ew director might
Wiener, 35, an attorney, does a year," said Bob Wyc off, infor- be .
not meet that criteria, _, mation specialist for the state "The choi
To be director,.a candidate health department.
must: 1.) have eight years of ad- Morris said that was not the
�--alpo
cohol abuse, while fewer that 7
percent of those receiving treat­
ment do so because of
marijuana addiction.
\ The movement for the
legalization of marijuana both
publicly and professionally has
taken a backseat to the war on
crack cocaine and AIDS caused
by iotra\4eDOUS drug use, Eaton
said.
ttl don't hear as much public
clamor, or pro essional discus­
sion about marijUana now that
the crack coca e problems
have become � prominent and
frightening, tt he said
So far the supporters for the
legalization of the drug have
been unable to ork out solu­
tions with the opposition, Eaton
said
.P
d in making the
is best-
While a d or would seem a
likely choice or the position,
fe uld be .. to accept
I the rut in pay, einer said
The salary or the director's
position is $80 .
When a . ector' named,
Wie er plans 0 return to her
job as chief of the health
departme 's ureau of health
facilities, thel department's
largest divisio .
Until that � e, Wiener will .
stick with her esent job as ac- _
ting director, s said
ttl have not r focused on
ny other pi ns," she said.
iener's husband, Rick.] now
tate chairman of the Michigan
Democratic Party, but is seek­
ing the position of chairman of
the DemocraticlNational Com­
mittee.
I Wiener said at she wiD give
p her carcerL in Michigan and
ve to Wash�on, should her
usband's career require it
ttl have a wo-year-old
ughter and th t comes first,"
she said
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