YOUTH WARNED OF DRUG DANGER

MARIJUANA is a gateway drug and could lead to a life of hard crime, a court
heard last week.

Tamworth Local Court magistrate Malcolm Macpherson chastised a 15-year-old
Tamworth boy after the court heard he committed several offences while using
the drug last year.

The boy's solicitor, Rae Parker, said he had moved to Tamworth to live with
his father but had a falling out and moved to a youth refuge.

He was arrested by Tamworth police late last year and charged with
possession of prohibited drugs and goods in custody.

"Then he had a problem with cannabis," Miss Parker said.

"But he's a different boy now to the one I saw some months ago."

Mr Macpherson said the change in character could be put down to his giving
up using marijuana.

"This is not a soft drug, and how different you are now shows the effect of
the drug," he said.

"Anybody who comes up in this court on harder drug charges, you'll find
started with marijuana."

Mr Macpherson said some expert studies showed prolonged use of marijuana
could cause your IQ to drop from 150 to 50.

"Because you are a child, the court looks at these things differently, make
sure this is the last mistake you make," Mr Macpherson warned after
dismissing, the charges.