TEENAGERS IN BULGARIA OPPOSE DRUG LEGALISATION

Nearly two thirds of 6600 surveyed Bulgarian teenagers believe drugs
should not be legalised, a poll shows.

A seminar aimed at providing students in the seventh, eighth and ninth
grade with information on narcotic substance usage and prevention took
place yesterday, BGNES news agency reported. Similar seminars have
been occurring since 2001. Children from 59 schools receive the
information.

Students fill out surveys at the end of each seminar. The
questionnaires show nearly 20 per cent more ninth grade students are
willing to try drugs compared to the eighth graders.

Many students do not consider cannabis and marijuana to be drugs and
are willing to try these, the survey shows.

Only four per cent of the teenagers believe drug addicts are
criminals. Most students believe addicts are people in need of treatment.