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Colorado Schools Have a Pot Problem; Consumer Confidence Rebounds in December; 21 Days to Forgive

Aired December 31, 2013 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The FBI would only say that any tools it uses in investigations are legal. No one really is denying it protect part of us.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Brian, thanks so much. Pretty interesting.

Well, still to come, pot will still be illegal for those under 21, even after it goes on sale legally tomorrow. But already, it's the number one reason that students are getting kicked out of Colorado schools. Up next, a closer look at the pot problem and how schools are trying to tackle it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, 2013 was a good year for investors. Stocks surged, which meant more money in your 401(k). We're all happy about that, right?

And as a year comes to a close today, all eyes are on those markets to see if Wall Street can make one last record close. So, will 2014 be just as good?

CNN chief business correspondent Christine Romans has more for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What can you expect for your money in 2014? It's that time of year for predictions. So here it goes.

The economy will be again the big story. It will be a year of economic growth and growing worry that the recovery is not benefiting everyone, the unemployment rate will likely fall below 7 percent. That's the trend.

The real story, is the underemployment rate, and don't expect that to budge as companies hold back on hiring full time workers whenever they can.

The recently unemployed, they will have a better chance of getting rehired next year. But the long-term unemployed still face the same old problems. Congress may reinstate recessionary emergency long-term jobless benefits early in the year.

But by the end of the year, expect that program to end for good. The minimum wage, it will rise in 13 states, but not as high as the $15 an hour that legions of low paid workers are protesting for. With the recovering economy, the minimum wage debate won't fade in 2014.

The stock market, it may not return as richly as it did in 2013, as the taper is finally here. And mortgage rates will likely rise. Will that end the recovery in home prices? Probably not.

Rates are still well below the post World War II average of 6.5 percent and higher mortgage rates may even spur banks into lending more freely to first time home buyers. Home prices, expect low single digit percentage increases.

There, I'm on the record. That's nigh forecast for 2014.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: OK. So, tomorrow morning, Coloradoans wake up to legal marijuana. And look at new fears about teen pot use, because the drug will still be illegal for those under 21. But that hasn't stopped kids from already getting their hands on it. And federal officials warned legalization could change the attitudes of teens in a very dangerous way.

CNN's Ana Cabrera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): How many people around your age do you know who have smoked marijuana?

MARCUS CARRASCO, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: Almost I want to say nine out of ten students.

CABRERA: Really? It's that prevalent?

CARRASCO: Yes, definitely.

CABRERA (voice-over): Colorado schools have a pot problem.

(on camera): Where do people get it?

SHAWN BAILEY, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: I don't know exactly but, just like I know that kids smoke it a lot.

MELIK ELLISTON, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: Now that it's legal everybody is getting it.

CABRERA (voice-over): While still illegal for anyone under the age of 21, younger people are finding ways to get their hands on marijuana and we found they don't shy away from talking about it.

ELLISTON: I see people selling it and I think it's easy for people to get now. CABRERA: Even for somebody who's under age?

ELLISTON: Yes.

TAYLOR MCCORMICK, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: I know lots of people. Most of my friends use it.

CABRERA (on camera): Why do they want to use it?

MCCORMICK: I feel it's not typically classified as like a harmful drug, like as meth or whatever.

CABRERA: Do you know anybody who comes to school high or gets high on lump break?

CARRASCO: Oh, yes. This is -- yes, definitely. Yes.

CABRERA: It's not that uncommon.

CARRASCO: Yes, it's not uncommon. There's a bunch of people that come to this school high.

CABRERA (voice-over): While some teens seem to think using marijuana is OK, schools are trying to send a message that it's not. Pot is now the number one reason students are kicked out of Colorado public schools, 230 expelled last year because of marijuana according to the Colorado Department of Education.

Pot proving to be a bigger problem than alcohol, disobedience or weapons violations.

CHRISTINE HARMS, COLORADO SCHOOL SAFETY RESOURCE CENTER: The message we'd like to get out from the School Safety Resource Center is we really need parents to be talking to their children about the risks.

CHRIS COLLINS, RECOVERING ADDICT: That's where all of my problems started, weed I guess.

CABRERA: Eighteen-year-old Chris Collins knows about the risks all too well. He says he began experimenting with marijuana when he was just 10 years old. By age 14, he was hook.

(on camera): What did you get out of it?

COLLINS: Bad grades and in trouble (INAUDIBLE).

CABRERA (voice-over): Kicked out of school. He's been in and out of jail 10 times in the past four years.

COLLINS: When I was 14, that was the first time I got my first drug paraphernalia ticket, possession of under an ounce. And I have six drug paraphernalia tickets, five possessions of under an ounce ticket. It's like slowly got worse.

CABRERA: Collins warns marijuana isn't as harmless as some may think.

(on camera): Did you ever think you were going to become addicted to it? Did you really realize even what was happening?

COLLINS: Well, like I didn't think it was possible to become addicted to marijuana I guess.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The evidence is very clear that it's addictive.

CABRERA: Adolescence and addiction specialist, Dr. Paula Riggs, says one out of six kids who tries marijuana as a teenager will become addictive. She says compare to the 1960s, the marijuana sold today has a higher concentration of THC, a chemical that impacts memory and learning, reaction time and motor skills. Riggs says a developing brain is most vulnerable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Daily or near daily use can be associated with six to eight-point reduction in their adult IQ. It looks like you don't get that back.

CABRERA: Collins has a lot in life he wants to get back. Now, drug free for eight months, he's focusing on small goals.

COLLINS: To graduate and get my license back.

CABRERA: And he hopes sharing his story will help prevent others from going down the wrong path by using path.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Now, Dr. Riggs tells me that she is so concerned about what she's seeing. She wants to see the drug treatment programs to go into the school. She says education is crucial as we enter this unchartered territory of recreational pot -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it's great advice. Thanks, Ana.

NEWSROOM continues right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, we've heard a lot of good news today on the economy. Isn't that a great way to end the year?

Home prices up more than 13 percent, consumer confidence rebounded this month.

Alison Kosik, it's a perfect way to hopefully start off 2014, right, the market's on the last day?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes. Both of those readings that year talking about, consumer confidence and home prices, those came in, about in line with expectations. It's helping to push the Dow to a fresh record high right now at 16,539. And even if the Dow makes a tiny gain today, it's going to mark an all-time closing high for the average. It would be its 52nd of the year of 2013.

A year ago today, we were on the verge of falling off the fiscal cliff so who would have seen this rally coming. The major averages are up 26 percent to 38 percent. So, I'd say your 401(k) is probably looking pretty good right now.

But don't get too used to these gains, though. You know, they're far above what we would see during a normal year. In fact, some traders on the floor say they're waiting for the correction to come. But it's hard to say when that my happen. Many analysts do expect the momentum to continue, at least until there's a clear reason not to.

Meantime, many investors who miss the out on the rally, they're looking for their chance on when to get in. Now, one headwind that we could see next month, retail earnings. There's a lot of the nation's stores that have had to offer the big discounts during the holidays to lure in shoppers to spend their money. So, Kyra, we're going to see if that took a bite out of profits. If it did, you could see the stocks do a 180, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Alison Kosik, at the New York Stock Exchange, thanks so much.

KOSIK: Sure.

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's get a check of those top stories.

Better bundle up if you're going to go to a New Year's Eve party in any one of the number of states. Chicago should see temps in the teens, with snow on the way and power outages still a problem in Maine. A snowstorm knocked out electricity days ago to some homes. Parts of New England barely finished shoveling out from the last storm. They face more snow this week.

People near Casselton, North Dakota, are being urged to leave their homes after a train collision caused a massive explosion two trains collided yesterday afternoon. One of them was carrying crude oil. That collision sparked this huge fire that sent plumes of black smoke, hundreds of feet in the air. The smoke can be seen as far away as Fargo now. That's about 25 miles away.

And a new year means a new selection on Netflix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "TOP GUN")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bogey is still behind you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay with him. Stay with him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take the shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Oh, yes. More than 80 movies and shows including our favorite "Top Gun," "Titanic", "Being John Malkovich" no longer available for streaming. Netflix says that they routinely add and delete selections. A number of new titles will be added including "Jack Richer" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and also "Dexter".

Well, beer and coffee. Two drinks not easily confused, right? But one Missouri bar owners says that the coffee giant Starbucks is making him change the name of one of its beers. And Jeff Britton says he's paying tribute to the coffee giant now in a very unique way.

Stephanie Diffin from affiliate KSDK explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF BRITTON, BREWERY OWNER: I'm a little tiny business in a little tiny town making batches of beer.

STEPHANIE DIFFIN, KSDK REPORTER (voice-over): That's why Jeff Britton couldn't believe when he received this letter from Starbucks. It was in response to chatter on his social media site about a beer called "Frappiccino." The letter says in part, quote, "As you probably know, Starbucks Coffee is the owner of a number of trademarks, including the well-known 'Frappuccino' trademark." It goes on to ask him to stop using labels similar to that word.

BRITTON: When I got that, I just -- I had to laugh.

DIFFIN: Especially since Exit 6 doesn't even serve the beer frappuccino.

So, Jeff got an idea. Write Starbucks back. In his letter, he assured him that he changed the brew's name to the "f" word to make sure he wasn't violating copyright law. It also goes on to say, that "we never thought that our beer drinking customers would have thought that the alcoholic beverage coming out of the tap would have actually been coffee from one of the many, many, many stores located a few blocks away." Then he included a check for $6. It's how much he says he would have made from the three people who say drank Frappiccino beer.

The letter goes on to say, quote, "We just want to help a business like Starbucks, us small business owners need to stick together."

While the note is quite sarcastic, Jeff says it was just a joke.

BRITTON: I don't fault Starbucks. I'm not mad. I'm not going to fight them. Hell, I don't have the money or resources to fight them, much less the desire. You know, I understand completely where they're coming from.

DIFFIN: But still, he says he probably won't be buying Starbucks coffee any time soon.

BRITTON: No, I drink beer, not coffee.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, a Starbucks spokesperson did say they won't be cashing his $6 check. And they appreciate him not using the frappuccino name anymore.

Still to come, do you want to forgive someone in 2014 but don't know how to do it or think it will be too difficult? Stick around. We've got good advice for you right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: So a lot of us make New Year's resolutions and a lot of us want to improve our lives. But one of the hardest things to do each year is learning how to forgive people in our lives.

Iyanla Vanzant is the author of a new book called, "Forgiveness: 21 Days to Forgive Everyone For Everything."

Iyanla, thanks so much for joining us.

IYANLA VANZANT, AUTHOR: Happy Tuesday, Kyra. How are you?

PHILLIPS: Happy Tuesday. You make it sound so easy, my friend. Why did you decide to write this?

(CROSSTALK)

VANZANT: It really is easy. It really is.

PHILLIPS: OK.

VANZANT: It is easy. Once you make up your mind that you are choosing to feel better within yourself, forgiveness becomes easy, because it's what you do to make you feel better. But we make forgiveness about the other person and that's what makes it hard.

PHILLIPS: It's hard to forgive ourselves too, though. How do we do that?

VANZANT: Taking the heat and judgment off of whatever it is that you think you need forgiveness for. You know, you didn't do this well enough. You didn't do that well enough. You weren't good in this. You weren't good in that.

Take the judgment off of that, and understand that you did the best you could, based on who you are and the information you had at that time. Forgive yourself for believing you should have had other information or that you could have done better with the information you had. We just have to start there.

And we really have a hard time forgiving other people because we don't forgive ourselves. You can't give what you don't have.

PHILLIPS: I'll tell you what, we asked our viewers -- we let folks know that you were going to be on the show. We asked them for their stories and if they wanted advice from you. And, of course, we got a number of requests, I guess, for your help.

Let me read one from Facebook who writes, "I struggle with forgiveness because I've tried to forgive people only for them to continue to let me down. So, there comes a point as to where do you draw the line, or is it possible to forgive and just cut someone off?"

VANZANT: Great question.

Here is the key. When we forgive, don't expect the other person to change. What changes is the way you see the other person, your perspective of the other person. And once you forgive them, you get to create new boundaries about how you're going to be in a relationship with them.

But if you forgive them for always being late and then the next time you meet them they're still late, you make your forgiveness about them and it's not it's about you. Forgive and then create a new boundary. Choose how you want to be in a relationship with that person. Don't keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting them to change.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it definitely eats your heart up. This next one is from a woman who recently lost her mom after she fell into a coma. And the two had a pretty strained relationship apparently starting from childhood. She says that she feels guilty because they never cleared the air before her mother's death.

And she writes, "I now carry guilt and anger at myself for being stubborn by wanting an apology for her so badly. So, how do I forgive myself and my mother?"

VANZANT: Yes. Well, unfortunately, beloved, right now, your mother doesn't need your forgiveness. All the forgiveness work you have to do is with you, and forgiving yourself for robbing yourself of a relationship with your mother.

Let me say two things. One, guilt is a wasted emotion. You can never eliminate guilt until you become willing to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for first of all believing it should have been different. Forgive yourself for not having the information you needed at the time to really understand the power of forgiveness.

Forgive yourself for wasting so much time being angry at your mother that you missed a relationship with her. She doesn't need your forgiveness now. Now, the work is forgiving yourself.

PHILLIPS: Iyanla, the book is "Forgiveness: 21 Days to Forgive Everyone for Everything." I'll tell you what, you have humbled my heart. I guess we need to continue to extent ourselves a little more grace, right?

VANZANT: Absolutely. Let's get it clean in 2014. Clean up with forgiveness. Let's get it clean, people.

PHILLIPS: Iyanla, thanks so much. Appreciate you.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: So, Pope Francis isn't just a man of the cloth. He's apparently the man with the best clothing, according to "Esquire" magazine who named his best dressed man of the year.

Erin McLaughlin has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Move over, Brad Pitt. Step aside, George Clooney. It looks like you have serious competition in the style department.

"Esquire" magazine has named Pope Francis, the 2013 best dressed man of the year. Now, the magazine admits this is an unconventional decision. But they point to Pope Francis' very simple style decisions as signaling new hope for the Catholic Church.

Take a look at Pope Benedict, the elaborate robe, the golden cross. "Esquire" magazine says this looks oh so last season. Now, it's all about Pope Francis with this very simple garment, this iron cross. Pope Francis has been trying to focus the Catholic Church on helping to marginalized, the disenfranchised, the poor.

"Esquire" magazine writes, "The Holy Roman emperor really does have new clothes and they reflect the people's hopes."

Erin McLaughlin, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: So you say "tomato" and I saw "tomato." Let's call the whole thing off, right?

Well, according to a new poll, when referring to the New Year out loud, 52 percent of the Americans will say two thousand and fourteen, 46 percent will say twenty fourteen. So, do you care? I guess where you live might be a factor. People who are surveyed in the Northeast and the South favored 2014, while those in the Midwest prefer the other way.

I hope you learned something today. Happy New Year. I hope you have fun ringing it in. Be safe.

Thanks so much for joining us today.

"LEGAL VIEW" starts right now with Ashleigh Banfield.

(MUSIC)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm John Berman in for Ashleigh Banfield.

It is Tuesday, December 31st. It is the last day of 2013. And welcome to LEGAL VIEW.

We mentioned it was the last day of 2013. On the other side of the world, it is the first day of 2014. They're ringing in the year right now in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taiwan.

Let's listen in.

(MUSIC, "AULD LANG SYNE")