LET'S JUST PRETEND THERE'S NO DRUG PROBLEM

Warning Comes That We Need To Pull Our Heads Out Of The
Sand

If we all get together and pretend that there isn't a new and ominous
illicit drug problem in our society, perhaps it will just go away.

Really?

Well, as we progress technically with all sorts of cybergizmos and
gadgets designed to make our lives easier and increase our profits at
the same time, guess what? Drug dealers are too.

The supply and use of synthetic drugs such as Ecstasy and amphetamines
is soaring worldwide in part because the public doesn't realize how
dangerous they can be, a UN report said Tuesday.

The report, presented at a news conference in Rome, estimated that
global use of Ecstasy rose by 70 per cent between 1995-1997 and
2000-2001, while use of amphetamines rose by 40 per cent over the same
period.

In short, the new street drugs of choice are being chosen and they are
being used rampantly -- even in Grande Prairie.

Don't kid yourself.

More than 40 million people worldwide, or one per cent of all people
15 years or older, used amphetamine-type stimulants, known as ATS, in
2000-2001, the report said.

The report said that seizures of these stimulants rose from around
four tonnes in 1990-1991 to almost 40 tonnes in 2000-2001 and
estimated the global value of the ATS industry at around US $65
billion each year.

Despite mounting publicity about the new drugs, the issues and
specifics often become confused.

For instance, many people automatically associate the use of Ecstasy
with the advent of raves and/or after-hours clubs.

The progression of thought is that clamping down on such activity will
automatically curtail the use of the drugs.

Not likely.

Like other social-based problems, education over extended periods of
time, with messages delivered across socio-economic borders, is the
only way to combat the problem.

Use of these drugs can cause dependence, loss of memory and premature
decline of other mental functions, the report said, adding the drugs
are wrongly ``perceived as less harmful than other illicit substances,
like heroin and cocaine.''

While officials call on governments to raise awareness about the
dangers of ATS abuse and to crack down on suppliers, the duty in this
battle belongs to all of us.

But first, let's pull our heads out of the sand.