Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jan 2013
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Dave Lane
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: Dave Lane
Referenced: Drug Fact Cards:
http://www.pocomo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183&Itemid=191

REEFER MADNESS?

Your article titled "Cards target legal and illegal drugs" (Wednesday,
Jan. 16) got my interest enough to review the cards.

While this might be a good idea, the cards are no more than a bad
replay of the Reefer Madness movie.

The cards on LSD and mushrooms only talk about bad trips, death and
flashbacks. They fail to mention that most people who use these drugs
have positive experiences, gain inspiration and insight and would
mostly use them again given the chance to do so.

The card on cannabis similarly only talks about the rare cases that
result in problems. This is the classic problem with prohibition and
the drug war - when you lie to kids and don't tell them the full
story, they will find out from personal experience that you have lied
to them and then they will assume everything you told them about speed
and opiates is also a lie.

This is why this type of propaganda is ultimately counterproductive
and harmful to our kids. If you are going to publish articles like
this, you should do a little more research before promoting things
like this that are bad for our kids.

Dave Lane

Santa Cruz, Calif.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D