Pubdate: Mon, 02 Apr 2001
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 Canberra Times
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/71
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n540/a08.html

INITIATIVE ON DRUGS DESERVES SUPPORT

Anti-drug strategy must be realistic THE STRONGER marijuana Jenna Price 
expresses concern over ('Scary drug ads treat parents as dopes', CT, 27 
March, p.9) is actually a healthy alternative to weak marijuana. The only 
difference between the two is that the stronger strains require 
significantly less smoke inhalation. Marijuana-smoking youth already know this.

Paul Dillon, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre information manager, 
is right about anti-drug scare tactics not working; in fact they do more 
harm than good.

Youth who realise they are being lied to about marijuana often make the 
mistake of assuming that harder drugs are relatively harmless as well. This 
is a recipe for disaster.

After almost two decades of scare tactics in the United States, heroin use 
among high school seniors has reached record levels.

Anti-drug education programs need to be reality-based or they will backfire 
when kids are inevitably exposed to drug use among their peers.

Robert Sharpe, M.P.A., Program Officer The Lindesmith Center - Drug Policy 
Foundation,
http:/ /www.drugpolicy.org, Washington, DC United States of America
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D