INDEPENDENT NEWS

MildGreens "Posterboy" says Time to Talk

Published: Thu 1 Jun 2006 02:39 PM
Media Release,
MildGreens "Posterboy" says Time to Talk
Radio New Zealand's nine to noon coverage on today's Drug Foundation Hui in Auckland was remiss in failing to mention 'poster boy for reform' Prof. Rod Skager's http://www.beyondzerotolerance.org website and book.
It is an exemplar 'easy read' for boards of trustees, schoolmasters, parents etc., where in contrast to our failure, it robustly demonstrates 'it is reform' of drug laws that is the high moral ground in education.
Contrasted to RNZ's counterpoint, Drug Proof Your Kids with its focus on the family, featuring Jesus and Tom (the Brain Robber)Scott, we 'legalisers' clearly have a lot to celebrate in the reason and evidence base Skager brings to the debate.
However, it has to be noted that in 'Healthy Christchurch' Skager's specialty, 'talking about the teen drug problem' has not only been administratively banned in Jim Anderton's home turf, but they stayed away from recent National Drug Policy hui's in droves... No one from the City Council, DARE, Community and Public Health, Post Primary Teachers, School Boards, Principals Associations, Ministry of Education, Police or the 'Safer Communities' interests they [mis]represent drug issues to.
So it was hardly surprising to see 'so few' at the Christchurch Drug Foundation Hui.
Why would "Beyond Zero Tolerance" attract such intolerance of fresh ideas?
Radio New Zealand listeners might expect regional Community Health Promotion experts to understand the concept "no decision about us, without us"?
It is the double standards that are proving to be the impediments to effective (anti)drug education so I'll spell it out. Here's my challenge to Christchurch and New Zealand. "Put the damn book in the library's now, you intolerant bastards!"
And then we can make 'time to talk'.
Blair Anderson
New Zealand Director,
Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
http://www.efsdp.org
http://mildgreens.com
ENDS

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