Pubdate: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI) Contact: 2002 Honolulu Star-Bulletin Website: http://www.starbulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/196 Author: Ray Gagner Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2174/a02.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?214 (Drug Policy Alliance) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DRUG GROUP PROMOTES DANGEROUS POLICIES Your editorial on Marsha Rosenbaum of the Drug Policy Alliance betrays a lack of information as to what is going on today in the field of substance abuse prevention ("Teens need better advice about drug use than 'Just Say No,'" Star-Bulletin, Nov. 28). There is a large and growing body of social science research on what works and what does not in prevention. The prevention field advanced years ago from the scare tactics and "just say no" approaches that Rosenbaum denounces. A variety of research-based prevention programs is available to schools and communities that seek to shield youth from the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The Drug Policy Alliance is selling a pro-drug-legalization political agenda. It advocates "harm reduction," an approach that assumes that people will always use drugs so we should educate them to use drugs safely. How one uses crystal methamphetamine or crack cocaine safely, it does not say. The DPA talks about "justice" and "compassion," but it is peddling dangerous policies. The Department of Education should have better things to do than provide it with a forum. Ray Gagner Kailua - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk