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AAP News Vol. 13 No. 4 April 1997, p. 6 © 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
During 1995, in the midst of nationwide debate surrounding the decriminalization, legalization and medical use of illegal drugs, then AAP President George Comerci, M.D., expressed concern to the chairman of the Committee on Substance Abuse that the Academy was without policy on these issues. Yet, the Committee on Substance Abuse had already begun consideration of these issues and, indeed, had asked the Board to approve a survey by the AAP Division of Child Health Research to learn the views of Fellows on this controversial and sensitive topic. A summary of the survey results is published beginning on the front page of this edition of AAP News. This commentary attempts to address some of the questions that almost certainly will be raised by these data.
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