Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 Source: Pembroke Express (MA) Copyright: 2008 Clipper Press Contact: http://pembrokexpress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4793 Author: Robert McCormack Note: Robert McCormack is a junior at Pembroke High School. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?228 (Paraphernalia) BLUNT TALK: IS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS GOING UP IN SMOKE? In a high school where nearly 26 percent of the student body smoke marijuana, per the results of the Southeast Centre for Healthy Communities, the idea that nearly 62 percent of polled students felt that Pembroke's new bylaw cracking down on the trafficking of drug paraphernalia was unfair should come as no surprise. Yet, as I look over the results, it hits me as truly startling that so many teens, especially boys, seem so against this law that is supposed to be protecting their health and safety. In the waning days of April, Pembroke voters narrowly approved a bylaw that effectively banned blunt wrappers and rosebud pipes, deeming them drug paraphernalia, thus shunting them away for local business. While some establishments, such as Brennan's Smoke Shop, rallied against the bylaw, claiming it was designed simply to ".put [Brennan's Smoke Shop] out of business." the majority of voters, including Selectman Arthur Boyle, saw the bylaw as a way to "... [Make] parents aware." of the rampant drug use in the teenage community. In theory, the idea of outlawing anything and everything that could possibly be used to ingest "illegal substances" sounds good, but if you really take the time to think about it, simply subtracting a part of the equation doesn't automatically solve it. On one hand, you have Brennan's Smoke Shop, a legitimate business providing a service to a target, and presumably adult, audience. Blanketing them with this muddled bylaw is effectively going to drive them out of business, which is by all means unjust and unfair considering that they are supplying a need in the community. One could argue that shutting down the smoke shop would drastically diminish the chances of underage teenagers getting their hands on said drug paraphernalia. With that, however, comes a whole new factor of consideration: the teenage element. The teenage element is the defining core to this mess of an argument. When all is said and done, the bylaw exists simply to cut down on the ongoing drug problem in the Pembroke community and make it harder for teens to acquire illicit drug "materials". That said, has there ever really been an effective way of preventing adolescent drug use? It's a sad, hard fact that if kids really want to light up a joint, they will find a way to, no matter what. Be it a friend, a cousin, or a father, there will always be an enabler. Simply look at the results of a poll of 100 average teens surveyed at Pembroke High. More than one half argued against the bylaw, saying that it would be just as easy to get a hold of a pipe or rolling papers with or without the law in place. Dig deeper, however, and you'll find a stark contrast from student to student. The majority of polled female readers felt that the bylaws are ".better for us in the long run, as it will help refrain from getting into trouble." On the flip side, most of the questioned teen boys had surprisingly negative views on the bylaws. In the end it's as simple as this: Bylaws or no bylaws, most surveyed students, including a majority of boys, feel that it will be just as easy to get roach clips, rolling papers or any other assortment of drug paraphernalia. Looking back, from crowded town meetings to the classrooms of Pembroke High, this entire mess really strikes me as disturbing. You have students whose primary concern is getting blazed on a Friday night and the stuffy town officials who believe banning everything this way and that will solve the problem. You have alarming town statistics and a business suffering the consequences of this crackdown. No one, and I mean no one, is benefiting from this. So the question I pose, as a high school student watching his class go up in smoke, is this: what do we do now as a community to really stop the problem? It's tough, there's no doubt about that, but consider this: appeal to the long-term consequences but on a scale our youth can relate to. Tell them the truth about the effects of marijuana, but don't tell them no. Make sure it's their choice, so that if someday they do end up in the hands of the law, it's their fault and their fault alone. It may not be the most aggressive take, but with everything else that has been done and failed, this could be our final option. Robert McCormack is a junior at Pembroke High School. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom