ADULTS ARE TO BLAME

RE: School Official Says Province's Drug Dog Idea 'Not Adequate,' A1, May 10

Maybe having dogs sniffing around schools once in a while really isn't
adequate. Maybe school officials should position several dogs at every
school entrance so they will catch the drugs coming in every morning.

Or maybe school authorities could just make the children submit to a daily
strip search and urine test.

It is adults' fault youths use drugs. Adults don't regulate drugs such as
alcohol and tobacco, so they are easy for kids to obtain. Adults don't
offer sensible drug education, and are often hypocritical about which drugs
are harmful and beneficial. Adults exaggerate the dangers of cannabis, for
example, while withholding key information about its scientifically-proven
therapeutic value.

When young people realize they have been lied to about cannabis, they
naturally assume adults have been lying about other drugs, such as meth,
coke and heroin. Once bitten, twice shy, as they say.

One sensible idea that seems to elude school authorities nationwide, is to
tell students the straightforward truth about drugs and what they do.

We have suffered through decades of this failed drug war with the "all use
is abuse" rhetoric, the "we/they" mentality of abstinence organizations
such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), slogans, misinformation,
exaggeration, and withholding of key information. And yet, adults are
surprised and puzzled why an increasing number of youths are doing drugs.

For information on how to teach young people about drugs without all the
lies, exaggerations, rhetoric and hyperbole, check out the Educators For
Sensible Drug Policy website at www.efsdp.org.

Russell Barth

Educators For Sensible Drug Policy

Ottawa