KIDS DESERVE HONESTY IN DRUG TALKS

To the editor:

Donna Viau is mistakenly taking my letter out of context, insinuating
(Letter: New 'pot' law shouldn't be taken to mean it's OK, Times, Jan. 29)
that I wrote that kids should be allowed to use cannabis (marijuana) or
drink alcohol. Youth should never be allowed to use those substances.

Viau's assertion that I think people try pot because they want to prove a
DARE program wrong, missed what I wrote. Citizens may be thinking it's OK
to try deadly hard drugs because DARE teaches they are no worse than
cannabis; that's dangerous and irresponsible.

While citizens know many people try cannabis, it's important for them to
realize cannabis is a relatively safe plant. Other drugs are not in the
same category; other drugs are in fact a very serious different item.

Nearly every study, including government studies, indicates that DARE is
not only a failure, but it may be contributing to more drug use than
having no anti-drug program at all; lying to youth is part of why it
fails. Having more citizens addicted to hard drugs is the result.

My letter was aimed at lowering deadly hard drug addiction rates, not
rationalizing youth using cannabis.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.