DARE JUST ANOTHER BAD GOVERNMENT IDEA

Re: "DARE extends its reach with new program," (Aberni Valley Times, March 18)

As a federally licenced medical marijuana user who is also married to
one, I consider DARE nothing less than a government sponsored hate-crime.

Also, the fact that taxpayers' dollars are used for this fear and
fealty campaign is sick and reprehensible in the extreme. It should be
illegal to go into schools and deliberately frighten and mislead kids,
but no, we use taxpayers' dollars and send cops in to do it. It isn't
just irresponsible, it is obscene.

Indoctrinations, certificates, slogans, promises and vows - all of it
has proven to be of little help and at least some harm. Don't believe
me? Since DARE first started in the 1980s, drug use among Canadian
teens has quadrupled!

It could be because DARE exaggerates the so-called dangers of
marijuana, while ignoring - or even decrying - it's many proven
medical applications. When kids are lied to about one thing, they are
less likely to believe you when you actually do tell the truth about
drugs like meth and heroin.

And who can blame them? We live in a culture that glamourizes sex,
fun, danger, thrills, law-scoffing, risk-taking, rule-breaking, power,
wealth-acquisition and authority-resisting. We advertise booze, fast
cars, fast food, violent movies and video games, and drugs of all
kinds, right on TV. Then we tell kids that "drugs are bad." Does
anyone still believe that kids don't notice this wild hypocrisy? A
ruse by any other name...

There is also a misconception in our society that suggests that only
drug-abstinence is to be encouraged and admired. Telling kids to
"never" use certain drugs is like telling them to never see a certain
genre of movie, never go to an amusement park or exotic country, or
never do anything at all that may be both risky and fun. It teaches
them to be afraid of new things, instead of curious, and as history
has shown, fortune favours the adventurous. Sensible, moderate,
well-informed drug use is no more harmful, dangerous, or immoral than
any one of dozens of other activities humans participate in every day.
And if you think "drugs" have nothing good to offer society, then
throw away every CD you own.

For those keen on teaching kids about drugs without all the hyperbole,
spin, sloganeering, and bald-faced lies of the standard "education"
programs, I recommend the Canadian Students For Sensible Drug Policy
website ( www.cssdp.org ), the Educators For Sensible Drug Policy
website ( www.efsdp.org ), or the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
website ( www.leap.cc ).

Russell Barth

Educators For Sensible Drug Policy