ONE-THIRD of teenagers who smoke cannabis at least once a week will become
dependent on the drug by their early 20s, according to a new study. Despite
this, the Gallop Government intends to push ahead with the legitimising of
cannabis.

The drug-promotion groups will continue with their push to legalise
cannabis and eventually other drugs with disregard for the wellbeing of
Australian youth. It is time that these groups were exposed for the
subversive and self-interested positions that they promote. It is also time
the media exposed the farcical argument the Gallop Government is using in
the form of the Community Drug Summit. The Government still ignores the
fact that the vast majority of written submissions to this summit opposed
the Government's soft drugs policy.

The argument that police resources will be able to concentrate resources on
drug dealers instead of smaller cannabis users and dealers does not hold
credence. Any resources removed from the police because of the decreased
action against smaller users will be swallowed up in the inevitable
increase in health and mental welfare costs.

The Government is selling the community a lemon, one that will have
devastating consequences.

PETER MONEY, Geraldton.