TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH,"

STATE OF THE UNION.

AS HI BEGINS HIS SECOND

TERM, PRESIDENT OBAMA GETS

READY TO LAY OUT A NEW

AGENDA.

Wendy: PLUS, NUCLEAR

BOMBSHELL.

NORTH KOREA DEFIES THE WORLD

COMMUNITY BY TESTING ANOTHER

WEAPON.

AND LEGALIZED MARIJUANA.

IN 2012, COLORADO LIFTED THE

BAN ON POT, AND NOW SOME ARE

ASKING WILL THE STATE GO UP

IN SMOKE?

ALL OF THIS AND MORE TONIGHT

ON "NEWSWATCH."

A NEW TERM MEANS A NEW

AGENDA FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA.

GOOD EVENING, I'M MARK

MARTIN.

Wendy: AND I'M WENDY

GRIFFITH.

PRESIDENT OBAMA DELIVERS THE

FIRST STATE OF THE UNION

ADDRESS OF HIS SECOND TERM

TONIGHT.

HE HAS AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA

AND WE'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT

HOW HE PLANS TO ACHIEVE IT.

JENNIFER WISHON HAS A

PREVIEW.

Reporter: IN HIS

INAUGURAL ADDRESS, THE

PRESIDENT PAINTED BROAD

STROKES OF HIS VISION FOR

HIS SECOND TERM.

TONIGHT, HE IS OFFERING

DETAILS.

HIS MOST URGENT CALL WILL BE

FOR CONGRESS TO AVERT THE

SO-CALLED SEQUESTER, THOSE

AUTOMATIC DEEP SPENDING CUTS

TO THE MILITARY AND OTHER

FEDERAL PROGRAMS, SET TO

TAKE EFFECT IN A FEW WEEKS.

WHILE THE FIRST DAYS OF THE

PRESIDENT'S SECOND TERM HAVE

BEEN DOMINATED BY HIS PLANS

TO REFORM IMMIGRATION AND

REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE, THE

NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

CONTINUES TO HOVER AROUND

8%.

AND TONIGHT WHITE HOUSE

OFFICIALS SAY THE PRESIDENT

WILL OUTLINE A PLAN TO

CREATE MORE JOBS.

THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS

FULLY THAT WE HAVE WORK TO

DO ON THE ECONOMY.

WE ARE NOT DONE.

NOT EVEN CLOSE.

WE NEED THIS ECONOMY TO

CONTINUE TO GROW.

WE NEED IT TO GROW FASTER.

WE NEED IT TO CREATE MORE

JOBS.

Reporter: THE PRESIDENT

WILL CALL ON HOUSE

REPUBLICANS TO RAISE SOME

TAXES AND GET RID OF SOME

LOOPHOLES TO CUT THE

DEFICIT.

HE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO

EXPAND ON HIS PLAN TO

ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

INSTEAD OF DOING BATTLE WITH

CONGRESS BY HIMSELF, EXPECT

THE PRESIDENT TO USE HIS

BULLY PULPIT TO TRY TO RALLY

AMERICANS TO PRESSURE

CONGRESS.

USING CAMPAIGN-STYLE EVENTS

AND A TOOL HE HAS MASTERED,

SOCIAL MEDIA.

President Obama: THERE

WE GO, MY TWEET HAS BEEN

POSTED.

Reporter: 100 PEOPLE

WHO FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT ON

SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE BEEN

INVITEE INVITED TO THE

WHITEHOUSE TO WATCH THE

SPEECH.

MEANWHILE THE WHITE HOUSE

WILL STREAM A SPECIAL

VERSION OF THE PRESIDENT'S

ADDRESS ON LINE, COMPLETE

WITH GRAPHICS.

Reporter: THE PRESIDENT

WILL HAVE TROUBLE PASSING

NEARLY EVERY PIECE OF HIS

AGENDA THROUGH THE DIVIDED

CONGRESS, HOWEVER, THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY

DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS

TO TAKE EXECUTIVE ACTION

WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE

ITS GOALS.

JENNIFER WISHON, CBN NEWS,

THE WHITE HOUSE.

Wendy: FLORIDA SENATOR

MARCO RUBIO WILL DELIVER THE

REPUBLICAN'S RESPONSE TO THE

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.

CBN NEWS IS INTERVIEWING

SENATOR RUBIO AFTER HIS

REMARKS, AND WE'LL HAVE HIS

THOUGHTS ON THE PRESIDENT'S

PROPOSAL TOMORROW ON "THE

700 CLUB."

JOINING US NOW IS CBN

CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT

JOHN JESSOP.

MARCO RUBIO WILL OFFER THE

REPUBLICAN RESPONSE, LIKE

WENDY SAID, TO THE

PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TONIGHT.

WHAT IS HE GOING TO TALK

ABOUT?

MARK, I DON'T THINK IT IS

SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT HE SAYS

BUT WHAT HE SYMBOLIZES.

HE IS THE SON OF CUBAN

IMMIGRANTS, AND HE IS SEEN

AS WHAT SOME HAVE CALLED THE

SAVIOR OF THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY.

WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE HOPING

IS HE CAN, PERHAPS, BRIDGE

THE GAP WITH A SEGMENT OF

SOCIETY THAT HAS REALLY GONE

AWAY FROM REPUBLICANS IN THE

LAST TWO CYCLES.

SO GIVEN HIS CREDENTIALS,

GIVEN HIS BACKGROUND WORKING

ON IMMIGRATION REFORM, YOU

WILL HEAR HIM TALK ABOUT

IMMIGRATION REFORM.

BUT HIS AIDES SAY HE'LL

SPEND AT LOT MORE TIME

PAINTING BROAD STROKES ABOUT

REPUBLICAN IDEAS, LIKE LOWER

TAXES, BUILDING THE ECONOMY

AND DECREASED SPENDING,

IDEAS REPUBLICANS WILL SAY

WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE.

RAND PAUL WILL DELIVER

THE TEA PARTY RESPONSE TO

THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH.

WHY DOES THE TEA PARTY FEEL

IT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE ITS

OWN RESPONSE?

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME

THE TEA PARTY HAS DONE

THIS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD

RESPONSE THAT THE TEA PARTY

WILL HAVE AT THE STATE OF

THE UNION.

THE TEA PARTY HAS ALWAYS

MADE THE CASE IT IS ITS OWN

PENTAGOINDEPENDENT

MOVEMENT, AND THEY WANT TO

MAKE SURE THEIR VOICES ARE

HEARD.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR

VOICES ARE HEARD TONIGHT.

THEY'VE CHOSEN RAND PAUL, A

TEA PARTY FAVOURITE AND A

TEA PARTY LEADER, WHO WILL

GIVE ALTERNATIVE EMPHASIS ON

IDEAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO

THE TEA PARTY, LIKE A

BALANCED BUDGET, AND PERHAPS

NOT GIVING FOREIGN AID TO

COUNTRIES THAT AREN'T AS

FRIENDLY TO US AS THEY HAVE

BEEN IN THE PAST.

HOW DEA DEEP IS THE

DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TEA PARTY

AND THE TERRIBLE G.O.P., AND

WOULD YOU SAY THE DEMOCRATS

ARE GOING TO EXPLOIT THAT TO

PURSUE THEIR AGENDA?

THERE IS A RISK BETWEEN

THE TEA PARTY AND THE

REPUBLICANS, AND WE'VE SEEN

THAT IN THE RECENT CURFUFFEL.

BUT YOU, NOW, I THINK

DEFINITELY DEMOCRATS WANT TO

SEIZE ON THAT.

INTERNALLY, WHEN YOU HEAR

FROM SEGMENTS IN THE TEA

PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN

ESTABLISHMENT, BOTH WILL SAY

THINGS ARE KIND OF

OVERBLOWN.

RAND PAUL RECENTLY TOLD A

KENTUCKY PAPER THAT REALLY

HE DOESN'T SEE THIS

ALTERNATIVE VOICE OR THIS

ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE BEING

DEVISIVE AT ALL.

IT IS JUST AN EXTRA VOICE.

AND DAVID BRODY, OUR

COLLEAGUE, SPOKE WITH

SOMEONE FROM KARL ROVE'S

OUTFIT WHO SAYS THIS IS ALL

OVERBLOWN.

IN A SENSE, THERE ARE

ISSUES, BUT AT THE END OF

THE DAY, THEY'RE GOING TO

MERGE BECAUSE THESE TWO

DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS REALLY

HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE.

ALL RIGHT, JOHN JESSOP,

THANKS FOR JOINING US AND

STAYING ON TOP OF IT.

THANK YOU, MARK.

STAY TUNED TO

cbnnews.com FOR LIVE

COVERAGE, AND WE'LL BE LIVE

STREAMING THE SPEECH, AND

JENNIFER WISHON WILL POST

COMMENTS TO HER BLOG.

Wendy: A SOURCE

FAMILIAR WITH TONIGHT'S

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

SAYS THE PRESIDENT WILL

ANNOUNCE FURTHER TROOP

WITHDRAWAL FROM

AFGHANISTAN.

NEARLY HALF OF THE FORCES IN

THE COUNTRY COULD RETURN

HOME WITHIN A YEAR OF

TODAY.

THAT TRANSLATES INTO 34,000

TROOPS.

IT DECISION MARKS THE NEXT

PHASE IN PRESIDENT OBAMA'S

PLAN TO END THE AFGHANISTAN

WAR BY THE END OF 2014.

POLITICAL GRIDLOCK IN

WASHINGTON IS AFFECTING THE

READINESS OF AMERICA'S

MILITARY.

THAT'S WHAT TOP MILITARY

BRASS TOLD A SENATE PANEL

TODAY.

UNDER THE SO-CALLED

SEQUESTER SCHEDULED TO GO

INTO EFFECT MARCH 1st, THE

PENTAGON FACES $46 BILLION

IN BUDGET CUTS, ON TOP OF

$5 BILLION CUTS ALREADY IN

PLACE.

A PROBLEM, THERE IS NO

CURRENT BUDGET IN PLACE FOR

THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

THE CLOUD OF UNCERTAINTY

HANGING OVER OUR NATION'S

DEFENSE AFFAIRS IS ALREADY

HAVING LASTING AND

IRREVERSIBLE AFFECTS.

TODAY THE COLD WAR

ENVIRONMENT IS THE MOST

UNCERTAIN I HAVE SEEN IN MY

36 YEARS OF SERVICE.

IT IS UNPREDICTABLE AND

DYNAMIC.

WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHEN WE

WILL HAVE TO DEPLOY SOLDIERS

TO FIGHT AGAIN.

THE SIGNAL WE'RE SENDING,

FRANKLY, TO THE IRANIANS IS

DON'T WORRY, THIS AIRCRAFT

CARRIER IS NOT COMING.

Wendy: DEFENSE CUTS CAN

BE AVOIDED IF CONGRESS AND

THE PRESIDENT AGREE ON A

PLAN TO TRIM THE DEFICIT BY

MORE THAN $1 TRILLION OVER

THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES

COMMITTEE FORWARD TODAY WITH

ITS VOTE ON CONTROVERSIAL

DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE

CHUCK HAGEL.

HATHEY DID IT DESPITE

REPUBLICAN DEMANDS FOR MORE

INFORMATION FROM HAGEL.

HE RECEIVED MONEY FROM AN

ORGANIZATION CALLED "THE

FRIENDS OF HAMAS."

MIKE HUCKABEE TOLD REPORTERS

IN JERUSALEM ON MONDAY THAT

HAGEL NEEDS TO CLEAR UP THE

RUMORS.

BECAUSE THAT RUMOR, IF

NOT TRUE, HA HAS TO BE

DISPELLED.

IF TRUE, IT DISQUALIFIES HIM

FOR ANY CONSIDERATION, EVEN

SO MUCH AS TO BE A

GATEKEEPER AT A NATIONAL

PARK, MUCH LESS THE DEFENSE

SECRETARY.

> THE NEXT DEFENSE

SECRETARY WILL FACE MANY

TESTS, INCLUDING A

BELLIGERENT NORTH KOREA.

THE COMMUNIST NATION IS

THREATENING A STRONGER

RESPONSE.

EXPERTS SAY TUESDAY'S EARLY

MORNING DETONATION WAS TWICE

AS POWERFUL AS THE LAST TEST

IN 2009.

THE UNITED NATIONS

IMMEDIATELY CONDEMNED

PYONGYANG'S ACTION.

AND LEON PANETTA CALLED THE

NUCLEAR TEST A SERIOUS

THREAT TO THE UNITED

STATES.

EXPERTS WORRY THE REGIME IS

CLOSER TO DEVELOPING A

WARHEAD SMALL ENOUGH TO BE

MOUNTED ON A A LONG-RANGE

MISSILE, BRINGING THE U.S.

WEST COAST WITHIN STRIKING

DISTANCE.

Wendy: AND JOINING US

NOW IS PAUL BONICCEL, A

FORMER ADMINISTRATOR AT THE

U.S. AGENCY FOR

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,

UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING ON

THE PROGRAM WITH US.

THANK YOU.

Wendy: A LOT HAPPENING

IN NORTH KOREA.

THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

CONDEMNED THIS LATEST TEST

AND IS VOWING ACTION.

WHAT KIND OF ACTION WOULD

ACTUALLY DETER THE KOREANS?

CERTAINLY NOT MORE

TALKS.

CERTAINLY NOT MORE

CONDEMNATIONS.

WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE

THIRD ADMINISTRATION THAT

HAS BEEN SORT OF PUSHED

AROUND BY THIS REGIME, AND I

THINK ACTUALLY THIS

GRANDSON, WHO IS RUNNING

THIS SORT OF CULTISH

COMMUNIST STATE IS THE MOST

SUCCESSFUL.

HE HAS SEEN THE HISTORY THEY

CAN GET AWAY WITH DEMANDING,

EXTORTING MORE AID FROM THE

WEST AND OTHER POWERS IF

THEY THREATEN ENOUGH.

SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE IS

DOING.

Wendy: EVEN CHINA,

NORTH KOREA'S CLOSEST ALLIE,

IS GETTING A LITTLE FED UP

WITH THIS, AREN'T THEY?

THEY REALLY ARE.

I READ THE OTHER DAY SOMEONE

SAID CHINA HAS SORT OF

RAISED A RABID DOG TO

PROTECT THIS PROMPT.

THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM THEY

CREATED FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY SUPPORTED THE NORTH

KOREANS, BUT THEY CAN'T

CONTROL HOW MUCH THEY

PROVOKE THE REST OF THE

WORLD.

Wendy: THIS IS CALLED A

GREAT THREAT TO THE U.S.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM FOR US?

IT IS PROBABLY MUCH WORSE

THIS TIME BECAUSE THE

SPECULATION IS THAT THIS IS

NOT A PLUTONIUM BOMB.

IT IS A URANIUM BOMB.

WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TWO

WAYS OF CREATING NUCLEAR

WEAPONS.

AND IT IS HARDER TO FIND

URANIUM PRODUCTION, AND IT

IS EASIER FOR THE NORTH

KOREANS TO EXPER EXPORT IT

TO TERRORIST POWERS BECAUSE

OF THE SMALLER SIZE OF

OPERATION.

Wendy: IF THE U.N. AND

THE U.S. FAIL TO DETER NORTH

KOREA FROM DOING THIS, WHAT

KIND OF MESSAGE DOES THIS

SEND TO IRAN?

THE IRANIANS AND THE

NORTH KOREANS HAVE BEEN

GETTING THE SAME CLEAR

MESSAGE, AND THIS WILL

BOLSTER IRAN BECAUSE IT IS

DOUBTFUL THAT THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO

DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

IT JUST STRENGTHENS THOSE

THAT WANT TO DO THESE

THINGS.

IT ENCOURAGES TERRORISTS TO

KNOW THERE IS MORE GOOD

STUFF ON THE WAY IF THE

NORTH KOREANS ARE PERFECTING

A URANIUM BOMB.

Wendy: WHAT DOES THIS

TELL US ABOUT THE NEW

LEADER, KIM JONG-UN, YOU

SAID HE IS SMARTER THAN HIS

DAD.

IS HE MORE EVIL?

THIS IS A KID -- A

SPOILED BRAT, RAISED IN

EUROPE, WENT TO GREAT

SCHOOLS.

THE SON OF A SPOILED MAN OF

THE ORIGINAL FOUNDER OF THE

COMMUNIST STATE.

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT BRUTE

FORCE AND THREATS.

HE HAS LEARNED THAT HAS PAID

OFF.

HE IS THE THIRD ONE IN A

LINE LOOKING BACK OVER TWO

GENERATIONS AND SAYS THIS

WORKS, THE WEST BACKS DOWN

EVERY TIME WE THREATEN.

I THINK IT MAKES HIM MORE

AGGRESSIVE.

AND GIVEN THE PLACE THAT HE

WAS RAISED AND THE WAY HE

OPERATES, I WOULD SAY MORE

EVIL.

Wendy: SO WHY -- WHY DO

WE BACK DOWN?

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT

WE FACE IS THAT SOUTH KOREA

IS IN GRAVE DANGER IF THE

NORTH KOREANS WANT TO USE

CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS IF WE

RETALIATE AGAINST THEIR

NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

THE SOUTH KOREANS HAVE NEVER

BEEN WILLING TO RISK ANOTHER

WAR.

THE SECOND PROBLEM IS CHINA

HAS, I THINK, MISCALCULATED

IN RAISING THIS RABID DOG.

THEY ARE NOT APPRECIATING

THEY HAVE TO FORCE THEM TO

STOP OR BUY THEM OFF

THEMSELVES, OTHERWISE

THEY'RE GOING TO SEE A

NUCLEAR JAPAN, A NUCLEAR

SOUTH KOREA, AND PROBABLY A

NUCLEAR TAIWAN.

THAT'S THE LAST THING CHINA

WANTS, FOR ALL OF THOSE

STATES TO ACT AS NUCLEAR

STATES.

Wendy: DOCTOR, THANKS

SO MUCH FOR YOUR BEING

HERE.

THANKS.

THE NEXT POPE.

WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI

STEPPING OUT, MANY SUGGEST

THE NEXT POPE MAY BE MUCH

YOUNGER AND POSSIBLY FROM A

DEVELOPING WORLD.

CATHOLICS ACROSS THE

GLOBE ARE GUESSING WHO THE

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS WILL

PICK TO BE THEIR NEXT

LEADER.

MANY SAY THEY WANT TO SEE

SOMEONE YOUNGER LEADING

THEIR CHURCH.

AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY

CHANGE THEIR HOPING FOR.

AROUND 115 CARDINALS WILL

VOTE TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAD

THE WORLD'S 1 BILLION ROMAN

CATHOLICS.

CARDINALS ARE GOING TO

HAVE TO WEIGH EXPERIENCE AND

THE NEED FOR A CERTAIN LEVEL

OF ENERGY.

CONTENDERS INCLUDE ANGELO

SCOLA, AND MARC QUELLET.

AND THERE IS PETER TURKSON

OF GHANA.

ARGUMENTS OF A POPE FROM THE

THIRD WORLD ARE EXPECTED,

GIVEN THAT HALF OF ALL

CATHOLICS NOW LIVE IN THE

GLOBAL SOUTH.

ITH I I THINK IT IS

QUITE LIKELY.

I GUESS THE FORERUNNER IS

THE CARDINAL FROM GHANA.

LONG SHOTS INCLUDE

TIMOTHY DOLAN OF NEW YORK.

HE IS POPULAR AND SUPPORTS

THE POPE'S CONSERVATIVE

STANCE.

BUT BEING FROM A WORLD SUPER

POWER COULD HURT HIS

CHANCES.

SEVERAL NAMES ARE SUR

FEDERAL GOVERNMEN SURFACING

FROM ASIA.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME IN SIX

CENTURIES THAT THE CARDINALS

WILL CHOOSE A POPE WHILE THE

PREVIOUS ONE IS STILL

ALIVE.

POPE BENEDICT XVI'S

RESIGNATION H HAS SHOCKED

THE WORLD.

HE HAS SLOWED DOWN RECENTLY

IN RECENT YEARS, BUT THE

VATICAN SUGGESTS THAT NO

SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONDITION

PROMPTED THIS DECISION.

YOU CAN CAN TELL HE HAS

TROUBLE NEGOTIATING THE

STEPS.

HE STARTED USING A CANE.

THE POPE SAID, QUOTE,"I

HAVE HAD TO RECOGNIZE MY

INCAPACITY TO ADEQUATELY

FULFILL THE MINISTRY

ENTRUSTED TO ME."

THE VATICAN IS ACKNOWLEDGING

THAT POPE BENEDICT XVI HAS

HAD A PACE MAKER FOR SEVERAL

YEARS.

Wendy: A FEDERAL JUDGE

HAS STRUCK DOWN AN ARIZONA

LAW THAT BLOCKED ABORTION

CLINICS.

IT BANNED THE USE OF HEALTH

CARE DOLLARS FOR MEDICINE AT

ABORTION CLINICS.

HE RULED IT RILE SLATED THE

PATIENT'S RIGHT TO USE THE

FUNDING WHEREVER THEY

CHOOSE.

"THE JUDGE'S RULING THWARTS

THE WILL OF ARIZONA

TAXPAYERS TO TOP FUNDING

PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

AS A RESULT, FUNDS WILL BE

REDUCED FOR AGENCIES THAT

PROVIDE WHOLE WOMEN'S HEALTH

CARE."

A FEDERAL COURT RECENTLY

STRUCK DOWN A SIMILAR RULING

IN INDIANA.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

WELCOME BACK.

THE LEGALIZATION OF

MARIJUANA IN COLORADO AND

WASHINGTON COULD LEAD OTHER

STATES TO PUSH FOR

POT-FRIENDLY LAWS.

Wendy: IF THAT HAPPENS,

THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT ITS

IMPACT ON YOUNG PEOPLE WHO

ARE MORE LIKELY THAN ADULTS

TO TRY MARIJUANA.

AS HEATHER CELLS SHOWS US,

THEY'RE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO

SUFFER FROM IT.

Reporter: POT SMOKERS

HAVE WASTED NO TIME IN

LIGHTING UP IN SELECT BARS

IN WASHINGTON AND COLORADO.

THE TWO STATES ARE SEEN AS

LEADERS IN A NATIONAL

MOVEMENT TO LEGALIZE

MARIJUANA.

WHILE ADVOCATES BELIEVE IT

WOULD KEEP KIDS SAFER,

OPPONENTS FEAR IT COULD

PROVE DISASTEROUS.

ALTHOUGH MARIJUANA IS NOW

LEGAL IN COLORADO FOR THOSE

OVER 21, MANY BELIEVE THOSE

UNDER 21 WILL BE ABLE TO

ACCESS IT MORE EASILY.

THAT IS A CONCERN ABOUT

HEALTH-WISE MARIJUANA

POSSESS A FAR GREATER THREAT

FOR TEENS.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT

MARIJUANA IS JUST

PSYCHOLOGICAL ADDICTIVE, NOT

PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE.

IT IS JUST A SOFT DRUG,

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU FROM

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THESE

KIDS WHO COME TO SEE US ARE

DROPPING OUT OF LIFE.

Reporter: PSYCHIATRIST

CHRISTIAN DIRECTS ONE OF

COLORADO'S LARGEST CLINICS

FOR TREATING YOUTH SUBS

SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

HE HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND WHAT

THE RESEARCH SHOWS, THAT ONE

IN SIX KIDS WHO TRY

MARIJUANA BEFORE AGE 18

BECOME ADDICTED.

AND LOTS OF KIDS ARE

TRYING.

TWO-THIRDS OF NEW MARIJUANA

USERS EACH YEAR ARE UNDER

18.

THE WORST PART, THEIR BRAINS

ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE

VULNERABLE TO THE DRUG.

AT A TIME OF ENORMOUS

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, THE VERY

RECEPTOR THAT MARIJUANA

BINDS TO IN THE BRAIN IS THE

RECEPTOR THAT HELPS CONTROL

THIS BRAIN DWE.D.

DEVELOPMENT.

Reporter: THAT MEANS

THESE YOUNG USERS CAN LOSE

AS MANY AS EIGHT I.Q.

POINTS.

THEY'RE FOUR TIMES TO DO

POORLY IN SCHOOL AND TWICE

AS LEAKLY TO HAVE A CAR

ACCIDENT.

THERE IS A POSSIBLE LINK

BETWEEN THE 2009

LEGALIZATION OF SO-CALLED

MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND

INCREASED TROUBLE IN

SCHOOL.

WHEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA

DISPENSARIES BEGAN POPPING

UP ACROSS THE STATE,

DRUG-RELATED SCHOOL

SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS

ALSO SPIKED.

BUT THOSE WHO SUPPORT

LEGALIZATION ARGUE STUDENT

USE HAS GONE DOWN SINCE

2009.

THEY BELIEVE THAT

REGULATIONS IS THE BEST WAY

TO PROTECT KIDS.

ILLEGAL MARIJUANA DEALERS

ARE NOT ASKING FOR PROOF OF

AGE.

BY TAKING IT AND PUTTING IT

BEHIND THE COUNTER AND

HAVING REALLY STRICT RULES

ON SELLING TO MINORS, WE CAN

BETTER KEEP IT OUT OF THEIR

HANDS.

Reporter: THE MARIJUANA

POLICY PROJECT HELPS PAY FOR

AND ORG THE COLORADO AND

WASHINGTON LEGALIZATION

COMPAIGNS.

IT IS NOW TARGETING 14 OTHER

STATES, BUT A NEW NATIONAL

ORGANIZATION IS SAYING NOT

SO FAST.

WHY INTRODUCE ANOTHER

LEGAL SUBSTANCE?

WHEN WE'RE ALREADY HAVING A

HARD TIME WITH OUR CURRENT

LEGAL ONE.

Reporter: THE DOCTOR

ADVISED BOTH PRESIDENTS BUSH

AND OBAMA ON THE DRUG

PROBLEM.

ALTHOUGH HE AGREES OUR

COUNTRY IS FAR TOO QUICK TO

CRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA USERS,

HE IS NOT CONVINCED

LEGALIZATION IS THE ANSWER.

IT IT INCREASES THE PER

PER MISSIVNESS OF THE DRUG.

FORMER SENATOR PATRICK

KENNEDY, AND CONSERVATIVE

WRITER DAVID FROM.

THEIR ORGANIZATION, "SMART

APPROACHES TO MARIJUANA," OR

SAM, BELIEVES THAT

LEGALIZATION SUPPORTERS HAVE

DOWNPLAYED THE RISK OF

SMOKING POT.

THIS IS NOT YOUR

WOODSTOCK WEED.

IT IS MUCH MORE HARMFUL IN

TERMS OF THE P.H. C.

CONTENT.

BUT KIDS SEEM TO HAVE

MISSED THAT MESSAGE.

WHY DON'T YOU THINK IT IS

DANGEROUS?

BECAUSE IT IS A PLANT AND

YOU SMOKE IT.

I THINK ONE OF THE

REASONS KIDS THINK IT IS

OKAY BECAUSE MEDICAL

MARIJUANA HAS SOFTENED

ATTITUDES AND THEY THINK IT

IS A MEDICINE.

Reporter: AND MUCH OF

THE NEW RESEARCH HASN'T

REACHED THE PUBLIC.

IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS A

FEAR THAT BIG TOBACCO

COMPANIES WILL GET INTO THE

MARIJUANA BUSINESS AND

TARGET YOUTH, JUST LIKE THEY

DID WITH CIGARETTES.

CHURCHES IN COLORADO ARE

FORGETTING OU FIGURING OUT

HOW TO WORK WITH TEENS AS

THE SITUATION UNFOLDS.

ANY TIME ANY DRUG BECOMES

MORE READILY AVAILABLE, WE

NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

Reporter: BRADY BOYD IS

SENIOR PASTOR AT NEW LIFE, A

MEGA CHURCH IN COLORADO

SPRINGS.

HE SAYS BELIEVERS THERE ARE

CONCERNED ABOUT HOW

LEGALIZATION WILL PLAY OUT.

BUT HE SAYS THEY SHOULDN'T

MISS THE DEEPER ISSUE.

WE'RE TALKING INTERNALLY

ABOUT WHY ARE PEOPLE SO

WILLING TO MEDICATE

THEMSELVES?

WHAT PAIN ARE THEY RUNNING

FROM?

WHAT ISSUES ARE THEY DEALING

WITH THAT CAUSES THEM TO GO

TO THINGS LIKE MARIJUANA?

Reporter: NO ONE KNOWS

HOW MARIJUANA WILL SHAPE ITS

REGULATIONS OR HOW AVAILABLE

MARIJUANA WILL BE STARTING

NEXT YEAR.

BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THIS:

THE NATION WILL BE WATCHING,

WAITING TO SEE WHAT

LEGALIZATION MEANS FOR

COMMUNITIES, AND ESPECIALLY

FOR THEIR YOUTH.

REPORTING IN DENVER, HEATHER

CELLS, CBN NEWS.

Wendy: A GREAT STORY.

THANKS, HEATHER.

STAY WITH US.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

WINTER STORMS AND

DRIFTING SNOW USUALLY MEAN

BUNDLING UP, AND SCRAPING OR

SHOVELING SNOW.

Wendy: ALL OF THAT FUN

STUFF.

BUT FOR A HANDFUL OF

MINNESOTA DARE-DEVILS, IT IS

TIME TO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,

SUIT UP AND HANG 10.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AND HIT

THE WAVES A LITTLE BIT.

WE'VE GOT A NICE SWELL,

LEFTOVERS FROM THE STORM

YESTERDAY.

RIGHT NOW MY TOES ARE

REALLY COLD.

THAT'S THE FIRST THING TO

GET COLD, YOUR TOES AND YOUR

FINGERS.

Wendy: LOOK AT ALL OF

THE SURFERS.

THIS WEEK AT LEAST 10

SURFERS BRAVED THE LAKES TO

CATCH A WAVE.

IT IS NOT IDEAL CONDITIONS

FOR WAVE RIDING, BUT IN

MINNESOTA, IT IS A PRIME

TIME FOR SURFING.

ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, IT

WAS ME AND ONE OTHER BUDDY.

I HAVE AS MUCH FUN SURFING

HERE AS I DO IN HAWAII.

Wendy: THIS TIME OF

YEAR, THE WAVES REACH ABOUT

FOUR FEET HIGH.

GREAT LAKES?

I GUESS SO.

LAKE SUPERIOR OR SOMETHING.

IT IS A SPECIAL KIND OF

PERSON WHO DOES THAT.

Wendy: THAT'S ALL FOR

THIS EDITION OF

"NEWSWATCH."

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

HAVE A