I’m writing about your front page story: “Police warn teen heroin use is on the rise” by Garin Groff (June 22).
The question that needs to be asked is: Why don’t children believe those who warn them about the dangers of drugs? The answer: Because when the drug war cheerleaders lie about or grossly exaggerate the dangers of marijuana, they lose all credibility.
When children find out that they have been lied to about marijuana, they make the logical assumption that they are also being lied to about the dangers of other drugs like heroin. This is a recipe for disaster.
Kirk Muse
Mesa
VofReason posted at 12:52 pm on Mon, Jul 9, 2012.
Yes, another stereotype busted. I think I can clearly remember all the cancer victims who quietly used mj in their homes getting rounded up regularly prior to pot becoming "legal". No, just the opposite. I think what they did was catch people who were driving high, selling pot, and or smuggling it over the border. Flash forward to the noble people who helped to hoodwink the voters of AZ to ensure that people with cancer could get access. Yes yes, that is why you now see the headshops trotting out people onto the road telling everyone to come get their perscription. If you want it legal, so be it.. Just don't hide behind the medically necessary facade.
Engaged Voter posted at 3:13 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
"If the schools really want to effect students choices, they should pull a drunk homeless person off the street and bring them into the classroom."
Sounds like a skit from the Chapelle Show:
Tyrone Biggums visits a middle school to promote drug awareness.
http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/4kqie9/chappelle-s-show-tyrone-biggums-classroom-visit
Engaged Voter posted at 3:10 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
"Know anyone who jumped from straight to taking acid, doing coke or shooting heroin?"
No - I do not know anyone who uses acid, coke, or heroin.
I do, however, know several cancer patients who use medical cannibis - of the four I know personally, 3 work full time, and the 4th will be back at work once her chemotherapy treatements are completed.
Another stereotype busted. ;)
VofReason posted at 2:41 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
If the schools really want to effect students choices, they should pull a drunk homeless person off the street and bring them into the classroom. Let kids ask them questions about the decisions they made in life. Better yet, bring in the 40 year old pot smoker who still lives in their parents basement to do the same. You will definity have to ensure that it is after cartoon hour, but certainly something could be arranged. I am sure that Cerulean has done his homework on the study above, but it just doesn't pass the smell test. Know anyone who jumped from straight to taking acid, doing coke or shooting heroin? Unlikely, alchohol likely, pot probably.
Cerulean posted at 2:22 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Actually, a new study published by School Health suggests that Marijuana is not a “gateway-drug”. So, indeed it is dishonest to imply that Marijuana leads to more dangerous drugs.
“The findings from this investigation support that alcohol should receive primary attention in school-based substance abuse prevention programming, as the use of other substances could be impacted by delaying or preventing alcohol use. Therefore, it seems prudent for school and public health officials to focus prevention efforts, policies, and monies, on addressing adolescent alcohol use.”
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00712.x/abstract
Unfortunately, I believe that this type of behavior is a mimic of parent use.
chatmandu002 posted at 12:07 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Kirk,
Your primes is wrong. Children learn that they are lied to all the time. Does "Santa Claus" or "Easter Bunny" come to mind. It's not the so-called "lie" about marijuana that is wrong, it is the response from each child that is an individual of separate and distinct personality. Some will make wise choices and some won't.
Don't shoot the messenger.
VofReason posted at 11:25 am on Fri, Jun 29, 2012.
I see your point Engaged Voter. Leon must be off pointing out that someone who makes an arguement that trying to stop kids from smoking pot only opens the door to heroine use. How could anyone question the state of mind of someone presenting such an astute argument.
sockratties posted at 10:29 pm on Thu, Jun 28, 2012.
Although it is difficult to accept the simplistic reasoning of the author’s letter it does make a point about credibility of role models available to the youth of today. Too often family role models are of less than sterling quality or absent from the home. The media provides unrealistic and frivolous life values. Those who are in a position of leadership resort to platitudes or are just too naive to be effective. Kids may be undereducated, uninformed and unprepared for life planning but they are not stupid. By default professional athletes, celebrities and gang-bangers appear to be the ones who are successful or to be trusted. Our attempt to control drugs by interdiction is ineffective but a job guarantee for the DEA and a way for law enforcement to look tough on crime. The status quo ensures an ample budget for everyone on either side of the “war on drugs.” The supply will not go away until the demand does, pure and simple.
Engaged Voter posted at 1:27 pm on Thu, Jun 28, 2012.
Poor Leon...well, at least he spelled empirical correctly this time!
Is Leon implying the author has brain damage due to drugs? If so, perhaps Leon could explain why the majority of his posts are illiterate, lacking in even basic grammar? To use Leon's logic, the cause must be heavy drug use.
And for Gawd's sake Leon, will you PLEASE learn how to use ellipses properly??
http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaEllipses.htm
VofReason posted at 12:49 pm on Thu, Jun 28, 2012.
Why does this author sound like a person who will die 2 mili seconds after saying "watch this" someday. With logic like this we also better hide the Drano. As the same devious big people who told them that drugs were dangerous also likely told them not to ingest the chemicals that reside under the sink. This is a reciope for disaster.........
Cerulean posted at 6:29 pm on Wed, Jun 27, 2012.
Leon, I think Muse has made an interesting point. Kirk, [thumbup]
Leon Ceniceros posted at 4:17 pm on Wed, Jun 27, 2012.
Folks, do we need to go any further than this letter to prove that drugs can harm you.
Does the name....Socrates....come to mind ?
How about the word....empirical....or the Latin phrase.....quod erat demonstratum (Q.E.D.) ?