Extremism no vice?

[crimresearch]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/06/09/MNGL2736S31.DTL

" Narconon's school program sends students a strong anti-drug message about alcohol, tobacco and marijuana in grades three to 12 and about harder drugs in the upper grades.
The program's instructors tell kids that drugs are poison.
But here are some other things they tell kids about addiction, which the medical experts interviewed by The Chronicle rejected as not scientifically based... "

AND

" One Los Angeles teacher who was skeptical about the information found that banning Narconon was easier said than done.
"Although it was a great presentation, I decided not to have (Bylsma) back," said Peter Senick of Manual Arts High. "I didn't know if it was scientifically based."
But Narconon lobbied, sending student testimonials -- including one from a kid who said he decided against taking drugs after hearing the presentation in Senick's class.
"If this is the effect they had on one kid," Senick told himself, "then who am I to be so uppity that one little fact is not right?"
He invited Bylsma back. "
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Hey, what could possibly be wrong with a little exagerration and salesmanship in the name of a good cause, hmmmm?

 

[Eos of the Eons]

Hmm, needs to come with a disclaimer.

Eliminating drug residue -- "Purification'' -- is believed by Scientologists to protect the mind and allow one to reach an enlightened state of "clear."

"Scientology is pure bunk, but drugs are still bad for you".

I can't believe they let this guy anywhere near public schools!! Or private if he gets in those too.

Benowitz, head of clinical pharmacology at UCSF, said what Root described is "not biologically possible. Sweat glands excrete watery substances, not oil. "

No kidding. Of course the facts don't match scientology pffiffle. Let's not confuse kids with quackery in the classroom please.

 

[tamiO]

Sometimes if I eat some greasy stuff in the late afternoon, my face is greasy. What is happening there?

Could they be confusing sweat glands with oil glands?

Not that I want to support one damn thing about $cientology.

 

[tamiO]

"Scientology is pure bunk, but drugs are still bad for you".- snip- Let's not confuse kids with quackery in the classroom please.

I think we do a disservice to kids when we just say drugs are bad for you.*cough*DARE*cough* Kids catch on that some drugs aren't as bad as they say and feel that maybe they have to experiment to discover the truth.

 

[Benguin]

As someone who has experimented, and seen incredible harm come to people around me who experimented, I would far rather things had been said to me which had genuinely persuaded me never to try.

Trouble is, I've no idea what those things should be. Pompous anecdotes about what might happen were not in short supply when I grew up, but they didn't work on me, or those around me.

Kids catch on that some drugs aren't as bad as they say and feel that maybe they have to experiment to discover the truth.

I think that tends to come on (as a belief) after experimentation has started. Most anti-narcotic education seems to imply that death, misfortune and destruction will befall the unworthy the first time they take a toke on a joint. Of course it doesn't, but teenager logic will find that out and decide all of the stuiff they've been told is, therefore, bunkum.

Just my theory.

As for scientologists ... a lot of fundies and cultists seem to use populist and 'humanitarian' issues to weedle their way into schools, prisons and hospitals. I suspect they are really attracted by the captive and (potentially) receptive audience.

 

[Benguin]

-- Colored ooze is produced when drugs exit the body.

Well not in my experience, and never seen it either.

Plenty of icky and unpleasant symptoms befall persistent drug users, never seen anything that entertaining.

 

[Felice]

I too have experimented (as I suppose most have) and never had an experience worse than with alcohol. As with anything, YMMV.

When I was in school we got a very strong anti-drug and anti-smoking message. The problem was that this didn't match with our experiences so it was difficult to trust what we were told, especially at a gut level. Should have been more scientific, but wasn't.

Oh well, no real harm done. Don't use anything any more.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

I think we do a disservice to kids when we just say drugs are bad for you.*cough*DARE*cough* Kids catch on that some drugs aren't as bad as they say and feel that maybe they have to experiment to discover the truth.

Eh, I have to be especially more explicit in my house. My oldest and I take drugs at regular intervals through the day. Trust me, we go over how our medication is non-addictive and other such things.

Was being lazy when I first posted. You certainly have a point!

 

[tamiO]

Eh, I have to be especially more explicit in my house. My oldest and I take drugs at regular intervals through the day. Trust me, we go over how our medication is non-addictive and other such things.

Was being lazy when I first posted. You certainly have a point!

Wasn't meaning to single you out, in fact I know you are the type of mom I wasn't talking to. I have friends who have kids and when they smoke pot, they hide. Then they tell their kids that drugs are BAD BAD BAD.

Kids aren't stupid and they resent it when they are treated that way.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

Yeah, being a hypocrite is no way to earn your child's respect.

I walk the walk by not doing it at all (not good when on meds to take any other drugs along with it). Kids learn by example, not by empty lectures.

If there was one good thing my mom did, she stayed totally away from drugs and alcohol. She didn't even drink coffee. It's rather ironic she got schizophrenia. Talk about trying to prevent ill health by being the picture of health, and getting a mental illness anyways.

But I still learned by her example. She was healthy and in shape physically.

I do find some kids just get disgusted and don't want to touch the bad stuff their parents are doing. They don't want to be like them.

It's rather baffling sometimes the good kids that come from really bad childhoods. I'm thinking of the book "A Child Called It". The author didn't turn out to be an alcoholic like the parent who raised him so horribly.

Other parents are good examples and their kids die of drug overdoses (so I've heard, I don't know how prevalent that is). Sometimes you just can't gage how your kid is going to turn out.

But being a hypocrite is no way to try to get your kids to listen to anything you say.

 

[fishbob]

Hey, what could possibly be wrong with a little exagerration and salesmanship in the name of a good cause, hmmmm?

Exactly. When you lie to kids and they figure out that you lied, your credibiliy goes right in the toilet.

When I was in school (6th grade), the anti-drug movement brought in a Doctor and a Pharmacist to talk about drugs. The Pharmacist went first. He showed photos of various drugs and discussed the effects of the drugs. He provided information. This was interesting to me, educational, and an appeal to my intelligence.

The Doctor went second with a long, eloquent, oration to stay off drugs. Pretty much a good sounding "drug are bad, M'kay" speech. He ruined the effect of the pharmacist's presentation, but the facility and school administration ate it up. I was shocked later when my teacher went on and on about how great the Doc's speech was. The lesson of the day for me was that my teachers were kind of dumb, and not to be trusted.

 

[Benguin]

The lesson of the day for me was that my teachers were kind of dumb, and not to be trusted.

If you can't do .....

 

[rockoon]

D.A.R.E - "I turned in my parents and all I got was this lousy T-shirt"