DRUGS: LEGALIZATION AROUND THE CORNER

Dear editor,

Many Canadian court judges, but particularly B.C. justices, are quickly
directing our society toward legalization or decriminalization of
marijuana. As an ex-pot-head, I believe that will result in increased
consumption.

Note the great increase in alcohol abuse following the abolishment of
alcohol prohibition earlier this century. According to health ministry
literature, "Prohibition in both Canada and the United States was
successful in dramatically reducing the extent of alcohol abuse and
alcoholism, at least for the period of its existence."

Furthermore, a health-ministry-funded study on cannabis consumption reveals
that, contrary to pro-pot propaganda, a permissive attitude towards
marijuana results in its increased consumption, and the detrimental effects
of that consumption among youths.

The study, conducted by UBC's Institute of Health Promotion Research,
surveyed illicit drug use among 8,179 B.C. students and later at 20 schools
province-wide.

One study supervisor, UVic nursing-school assistant-professor Marjorie
MacDonald, noted, "Kids who said their parents were 'strongly' against it
were considerably less likely to use marijuana than kids who said their
parents were just 'somewhat' against it."

And it was found that the study's findings likely under-represent the true
level of drug use: "The kids who are absent on the day the survey was done
tend to be absent more often," said MacDonald, noting a relationship
between drug use and skipped classes.

Frank G. Sterle, Jr., White Rock