PLAN GETS MIXED REACTION

Is the Howard Government anti-drugs campaign a positive step? Kathryn
Shine asked some Sydneysiders yesterday.

"It is a good thing for parents. Sometimes they don't talk about
drugs much, and it brings the family together." - Sarojni Nathan, 45,
customer service officer, Toongabbie.

"Teenagers will look at the advertisements and take drugs anyway.
Teenagers won't listen. They'll do what they want." - Anushka Nathan,
15, Toongabbie.

"If you can get the message across before kids get to 12 to 14 it's a
good idea." - Jan Gillett, 48, housewife, St Clair.

"Parents should talk to their kids before they get to high school.
Then they'll already have the opinion that drugs are bad." - Meagan
Gillett, 16, St Clair.

"I think it's a great idea. Hopefully the kids on the edge will see
this and say, 'I'd rather not use drugs'." - Larry Neumann, 45,
company director, North Bondi.

"You've got to talk to your kids about these things, but it has be
ongoing." - Shelley Neumann, 45, company director, North Bondi.

"Kids need to know about drugs." - Donna Neumann, 14, North Bondi.

"I think it's an excellent thing. The kids know it all, but I think
the parents are left in the dark." - Rochelle DeLuca, 16, Vaucluse.

"You can't tell the parents to say, 'don't do it' because most kids
will probably rebel against that." - Marisa DeLuca, 46, personal
assistant, Vaucluse.

"There are kids who don't mind talking about this sort of stuff with
their parents, but there are also kids who say, 'I don't want to go
there with my parents'." - Alexis Klain, 16, Bondi.

"People do drugs because they have deeper problems. They [the
Government] need to deal with the deeper problems." - Noni Dowsett,
16, Copacobana.

"Maybe if I was younger I would listen." - Jess Phillips, 16, Wyoming.

"If your parents didn't give you a lecture, but talked to you at your
level, it would be better." - Jess Dean, 16, Woy Woy.

"If you were 12 you might listen to your parents, but once you get
older you listen to your friends." - James Bentley, 16, Hornsby.

"They should do something about drugs. It's a problem."- Toby Milner,
15, Umina.

"I don't think drugs are a problem ... I don't know anyone who has
got a bad problem." - Liz Miller, 16, Bensville.