DON'T BE MISLED: THERE ARE NO 'SAFE' HIGHS

UNITED NATIONS Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) executive director Antonio
Maria Costa has condemned "misleading" information about drugs on the Internet.

In a statement marking yesterday's International Day against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking, he also criticised "a veil of silence" perpetuating
the worldwide problem of drugs.

"We often hesitate to talk to our children about drugs and substance abuse,
thus leaving them vulnerable to ill-informed or, worse, deliberately
misleading sources of information -- often on the Internet", Costa said.

All over the world, there were societies with a perplexing attitude towards
drug abuse, "so much, that there seems to be some kind of taboo at work".

"We know that drug abuse exists, and that dependence is a preventable and
curable condition. Yet it has become a widespread global problem because,
at times, a veil of silence shrouds discussions on the issue."

The silence had also led to a stigma attached to drug addiction, and the
exclusion of most addicts from the mainstream, leading in turn to
"ignorance about the nature of this health and social malaise, and the
treatment alternatives that exist".

It was time to break the silence, said Costa. He challenged parents and
young people alike to talk about drugs in a serious, accurate and informed
manner.

To young people, he gave a reminder "to be careful about what you say,
because a lot of the time your friends listen to you more than they listen
to adults. Opinions should be based on hard facts, not pseudo-science.
Sources should be questioned, whether individuals or websites.

"There will be people, maybe even some of your friends, who will tell you
that 'smoking a joint' or 'popping a tab' is normal or cool. But when you
hear such things, take a minute to think", Costa warned.

More and more people were voluntarily seeking treatment for cannabis abuse
problems. Evidence was fast mounting that even casual abuse of ecstasy
could lead to long-term brain damage.

"So 'recreational' drug abuse can't be safe, can it? It seems clear that
there is no such thing as a safe high," said Costa.