Better Programs Out There

There Are Some Excellent Resources Out There for Concerned Parents
and Teachers That Wish to Provide Information to Young People About
Drugs That Are Much More Effective Than "Just Say No." I Highly
Recommend Educators for Sensible Drug Policy at Www.Efsdp.Org. the
Safety1st Booklet Located at Www.Safety1st.Org Contains Excellent
Information That Teachers Can Use to Educate Their Students. They
Will Send You Free Copies of Their Booklets If You Ask for Them.

the RCMP and the DARE Program Push a "Just Say No" and
"All-Use-Is-Abuse" Approach to Drug Education That Is
Counter-Productive. the Fact Is the Legal Status of a Drug Is
Unrelated to Its, Potential to Cause a User Harm. While I Am Sure
That the Police Officers Get Training, They Are Not Qualified
Teachers. They Did Not Earn a Bachelor of Education in Their Police Training.

We Wouldn't Expect a Police Officer to Be Qualified to Teach Reading,
Writing or Arithmetic, So Why Would We Hand Them the Important Job of
Teaching Students About Drugs? Handing This Job Over to the Police
Merely Reinforces the Idea That Drugs Are Cool and Dangerous.

Drugs Are Not Inherently Harmful but the Ways That They Are Used Have
the Potential to Cause Harm. an Adult Drinking a Beer or Two Is a
Responsible Use of Alcohol. Binge Drinking and Driving While Impaired
Are Harmful. Even Children's Tylenol Can Be Dangerous If It Isn't
Used Properly and That Is the Message That We Need to Give to
Children. We Don't Ban Knives Because Knives May Hurt Children; We
Teach Them How to Use a Knife Responsibly.

If Mr. Kiedrowski Is Sincere in His Desire to Learn More About Why
Certain Drugs Are Illegal, I Would Recommend Reading the Senate
Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, Located at Www.Senatereport.CA.
the History of the Prohibition of Marijuana Is Marred by Propaganda
and Yellow Journalism. It's Unfortunate That This Ugly Period of
History Is Not Yet Behind US but It Is Going to Take a Long Time to
Undo 80-Plus Years of Reefer Madness.

Tanya Derbowka,

Vp, Saskatchewan Marijuana Party

Saskatoon, Sask.