DRUG CULTURE HAVING A SERIOUS IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

Dear Editor,

Santa Clara County Supervisor David Cortese's recent State of the
County message shows that our kids are seriously and negatively
impacted by today's drug culture, even though he did not state this
in his message. His mention of drop-out rates, juvenile hall
populations, and public health concerns undeniably speak to the abuse
of drugs by our teens.

I hope we can all agree that the only way to turn this around is to
do whatever it takes to change this culture. When making decisions
from the dais, whether at San Jose City Hall or any other city hall,
I hope that our elected leaders would weigh the impact of decisions
on the health and welfare of our children and their futures.

Allowing drug dispensaries - (from recent busts in San Jose at
marijuana dispensaries there, we should understand that marijuana is
not the only illegal substance being sold and purchased at these
businesses) - is in no way, shape or form beneficial for our youth.
It is clear that it is just the opposite. The only way to reverse the
trend is to completely close and ban these dispensaries, and send a
strong signal to our kids that marijuana (and other drugs of abuse,
both legal and illegal) are not medicine but instead, a very
dangerous drug that must be avoided.

Ron Kirkish, Gilroy, Program coordinator for northern region,
Californians for Drug Free Youth