Pubdate: Wed 25 Feb 1998 Source: Daily Telegraph Author: Piers Akerman Contact: WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S FIRE The UN agency has publicly recognised what many Australians have long known - - that our children are being hooked on drugs because of a "culture of drug friendliness" assisted by "pro-drug" messages. But perhaps we needed this reminder from an outside source to combat those in quasi-official positions who continue to argue on fewer restrictions on illicit drug users. For too long, the drug debate in Australia has been dominated by a core of media-savvy individuals determined to shift public opinion about illicit drug use. Their public relations campaign has seen the publication of major articles on the alleged beneficial properties of marijuana, stories of people who claim they use heroin without getting hooked and so-called user of "soft" and "recreational" drugs. They have pushed themselves upon largely ignorant radio and television hosts and they have shamelessly tried to enlist some of those parents who have lost children to drug overdoses. Subtly, softly and gently they are trying to change the perception of drugs as agents of harm and to some extent they are winning. In our schools, children have been taught how to use drugs "safely" while the problems inherent in drug abuse have been all but ignored. The promotion of this week's homosexual Mardi Gras with the so-called gay culture's celebration of drugs use is another example of the wrong messages being pushed on the public. The International Narcotics Control Board, however, has clearly seen the problems inherent in such an approach to the drug situation. It noted the problem of implementing successful drug abuse prevention techniques and strategies in an environment where some politicians, pop culture idols, the media and the Internet publicly promoted and tolerated the recreational use of drugs. Perhaps the INCB's researchers read some of the remarks made by State Parliament's self-confessed doper, the nudist Upper House MP Richard Jones, or listened to Triple-J's hysterical announcers. The report sounds so familiar. Ironically, the pro-drug lobby has been most skilful in exploiting and manipulating international reports in its campaigns. It is unlikely to embrace the UN's findings with the same enthusiasm but those at the battle front in the war against drugs won't be surprised.