DRUG FREE ZONE NOT CONSTRUCTIVE ENOUGH

Editor,

I am very interested in the recent Online Polling that resulted in 61% of
respondants in favour of a 2 block radius around the High School being
deemed a Drug Free Zone. I wonder how we can logically relocate all of the
businesses that distribute drugs within that proposed zone? Geographically
speaking, there are at least 4 separate distributors of alcohol and no less
than 3 distributors of tobacco within that 2 block radius. Therefore, we
would be required to relocate those businesses or deny them the ability to
distribute those products that are commonly known to be drugs (let's not
start on coffee).

Granted, alcohol and tobacco are legal substances, they can be purchased by
anyone above the age of majority and consumed legally by any member of the
public over that age. But we aren't talking about legal drugs anyway, drugs
that are for "adults", we are really just beating around the "youth and
drugs" bush. And isn't it just like adults to propose a way to dictate
further to youth while still protecting our own vices? Do we honestly
believe that the youth in question won't also see through this hypocritical
notion?

Now, I am not advocating drug use by anyone, but I would genuinely like to
see something more constructive than a Drug Free Zone offered as a way to
help with the problem. Why aren't there any suggestions about entertainment
facilities for the community and, in large part, for the youth? If anyone
hasn't yet noticed, there isn't a lot to do around here as far as
entertainment goes. We are very lucky, as a community, to have the DSide
youth centre because, aside from the skate park, that is pretty much all
the kids have. They are targeted as undesirables at most businesses and are
often left with the streets as their only venue for meeting and hanging
out. A movie theatre, a pool hall, a pc gaming room, any of these ideas
would, in my opinion, be much wiser solutions to the drug problem than a
Drug Free Zone around the High School. The (quite frankly, uninforcable)
Drug Free Zone would be met with as much respect as is deserved given the
hypocracy of the idea, and that would be none.

Vicky Sparks

Harrison Mills