SCHOOLS MAKE DRUGS COOL

To the Editor,

Re: School drug and alcohol policy slammed by parents.

Parents are right to be slamming the failed drug policy employed not only
in our schools, but in our whole society. Making drugs an "evil taboo"
just adds to it's allure and it's "cool."

By employing "just say no" propagandist slogans, and the whole we/they
mentality of "zero-tolerance" and "all use is abuse" and "drugs are for
losers," we have had the result of drugs being more popular with teens than
ever before. If you tell kids something is naughty, they can't resist
doing it.

There is much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth when a kid uses a bit
of pot, yet there are vending machines full of candy and caffeinated drinks
in many schools! Kids are not stupid. They see the absurdity and
hypocrisy of Canada's drug laws.

Canadian schools should employ a straightforward, honest, and
scientifically based education program designed to help kids make
responsible choices about drugs. Viewing the Educators For Sensible Drug
Policy website www.efsdp.org could be a good start. Once we arm kids with
knowledge, they are more likely to make responsible choices, and the ones
that don't should have the issue treated as a medical issue, not as a
punitive discipline issue.

Whether in school or in everyday society, if prohibition were going to
work, it would have worked by now.

Russell Barth, Educators For Sensible Drug Policy, Ottawa, Ontario