Pubdate: Sun, 14 Oct 2007 Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ) Copyright: 2007 Asbury Park Press Contact: http://www.app.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26 Author: Joan Palermo DON'T IGNORE MARIJUANA USE I was happy that the PNC Bank Arts Center finally cracked down on teenage drinking and tailgating in the parking lot before concerts. We need to keep enforcing the laws that were made for everyone's safety. Thanks to all the law enforcement and people at PNC for doing the right thing. However, there is another problem that needs to be addressed. I attended the Allman Brothers Band concert in July with my 16-year-old son. We had lawn seats and ended up standing because we were a little late, which was fine with all the great acoustics and big-screen TVs. The security guards were present and kept the crowd in designated areas. I saw the State Police on the periphery of the concert but not in the concert area. What really surprised me was the blatant smoking of marijuana and the smell wafting through the air. Last time I checked, marijuana was illegal even for medicinal use. The message being sent to our youth is very mixed: Alcohol is illegal until 21 years old; marijuana is illegal all the time, but it's OK at a concert. Both drugs alter your perception and judgment, which would make driving hazardous. If you attended that concert you would agree we do have a problem. We are just kidding ourselves when we are sending our children the "Just Say No" message to drugs and not following through with our obligation to them to enforce it. Joan Palermo Ocean Township - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman