Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jan 2007
Source: Williams Lake Tribune, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Williams Lake Tribune
Contact:  http://www.wltribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1226
Author: Julien (Joe) Brissard

POT IS TOO EASY FOR WL YOUTH TO GET

Editor:

Drug use, particularly marijuana, is more prevalent among teens then 
parents realize. I know kids who do drugs behind portables at school 
and in alleyways, which are in drug free zones and even at school dances.

Teens are getting better at hiding drugs from parents and teachers 
and they hide marijuana in perfume bottles, glasses cases and even 
pencil cases. Many students go to class high. I am not sure if 
teachers don't know or if they just look the other way, both of those 
options are pretty bad.

You don't have to be rich to smoke marijuana, kids can smoke 
marijuana out of pop cans, oranges, bananas, carrots, apples and old 
plumbing pipe.

Marijuana is very addictive, and I know kids who smoke burnt ash from 
the side of their pipes and I knew some one who smoked grass because 
they were extremely desperate to get high.

April 20 is a really bad day for school attendance because that is 
national marijuana day. Many students skip classes to smoke pot. Pot 
is easy for teens to get, that is one of the main problems with 
marijuana. For example, I have gone up to the Columneetza smoke pit 
(which is only for tobacco smokers) at lunch with a five dollar bill. 
When I got there I saw about 10 people and I asked who I could buy pot from.

Three people offered to sell me marijuana, that just shows you how 
accessible it is.

I think harsher punishments should be put in place for drug and 
drug-related crimes, especially drug dealers. If we can target the 
source of drugs in places like schools, in the future drugs won't be 
as big of a problem.

The police need help with the marijuana problem in Williams Lake, 
especially in schools.

Sad to say, but schools need more supervision, especially the high schools.

We need to work together as a community then become role models for 
other communities to follow

Julien (Joe) Brissard

Williams Lake
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MAP posted-by: Elaine