MORE KIDS GOING TO POT

'Decriminalizing Drug Won't Make Big Difference'

Slowly, Const. Garry Vosburg walked through the front doors of Langstaff
Secondary School.

Students rushed by without a second glance.

Slipping into his usual routine, the street beat officer delivered a few
smiles and waves to staff in the administrative office. Out of the corner
of his eye, he recognized a young man sitting near the door awaiting a
potentially negative meeting with a vice-principal.

"I have no idea why I'm here," the student said insistently, responding to
a questioning sideways glare from the York Regional Police constable.

"Are you sure?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and ending the
exchange with a smile.

Making sure students are safe at school is the most important part of his
job, Const. Vosburg said.

His rapport with students has led to tips about school yard fights and
illegal behaviour, including drinking and drug use.

And recent surveys show drugs -- most notably marijuana -- are on the rise
among Canadian youth.

A 2002 national study of 7,000 children aged 11 to 15 across the nation
revealed about 40 per cent used marijuana in the past year.

That put Canada in first place out of 35 countries conducting similar tests
for the highest reported use. Switzerland came second, about 3 per cent
behind Canada.

But Const. Vosburg said he hasn't noticed a significant increase in
marijuana use around the schools he patrols.

"It's been pretty consistent and I don't think decriminalizing it is going
to change it," he said, pointing to results of the study that showed the
Netherlands, where the drug has long been decriminalized, is the middle of
the pack.

"If kids wants to smoke marijuana, they will," he said.

According to the 2003 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, this is the first
year more teenagers were found to be using marijuana than cigarettes.

The survey asked more than 6,000 youths in grades 7 to 12 about drug and
alcohol use. Marijuana use was second behind alcohol, which is illegal to
anyone younger than 19.

Karla Gutierrez, 15, of Richmond Hill said she feels like a minority
because she does not have any interest in trying the drug.

"I think it's really dumb," said the Alexander Mackenzie High School
student. "I don't need it. I don't want to hide behind some drug."

Dealers have approached her around school and in public places in her
neighbourhood. She fears it will only become worse if decriminalized or