Drugs: A search for understanding; Sample

Well I haven't any CAM coats for 2 1/2 years. I took too much math degree and too much honesty and eventually just had to stop and to quit can take anymore. I couldn't put a needle into my arm when I wanted time it wasn't because my veins were you game just I couldn't think or mention I realized that I had fought for a number of months and come Floyd like quick to see what it felt like to think yes I was curious about what it would be like to think she is 21 years old a former drug dealer and well-liked. It took me about a year to learn how I think about a year before. I stopped listening and I walk up the street but didn't happen all the time but it happened nothing else. I know from years about a year it came out about a year before I stopped thinking when I tired stop being something you put on your arms. It was something a man does snack

and outfit was something at lady's spot in spring time that something came in a matchbox with disposable tips. That's right. Just. A search for understanding. For the next five days this program will look at the drug scene in Vancouver. But before we start let's get the ground rules straight. We are not going to look at whether or not drugs should be legalized. Everyone has opinions and no one has any answers. We're not going to look at the medical danger either. Even doctors and experts have such wide opinions that no layperson can draw any exact conclusions. So what are we going to do for five days. We're going to look at the real problem. If you want to use that word dangerous or not illegal or not drugs are here. We can't change

that fact with the best arguments in the world. But perhaps we can try to understand why people take drugs. What influences them and what you and I can do about it. First how wide is drug use. We got a Roll Call list of oversteer in the six of us for every secondary student with history. They've been all over the room nobody elected. But I have to go on with a big questionnaire to give to the students in the class. Situation with no teachers present only reassured. That. The questionnaire took 15 20 minutes to fill out but most are drug use in high schools the most recent survey taken by the narcotic addiction foundation was conducted in six B.C. high school districts 4000 students were interviewed.

John Russell who coordinated the survey told us for Lower Mainland schools were included then a major part of the questionnaire is devoted to whether or not the students use sex drugs marijuana and of the green heroin assault and tranquilizers 19 to 20 percent of them had used marijuana at least one 6.6 percent of the use of the at least one 3.7 percent use meth and you know at least one 1.4 percent it was terribly slow. Twelve point four percent of you saw us and about 47 percent of the site use tranquilizers while other students and use tranquilizers 20 percent and the prescription of the other seven percent. Right. In terms of the ability of drugs we found the 50 percent of those who have been offered or who use marijuana. Think about 1 to 6 percent of NRA lies somewhere around 20 percent been offered 10 percent for.

Last month at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon. The narcotic addiction Foundation's director Bert Hoskins talked about the availability of drugs for adolescents that is almost a senior elementary. And secondary school levels it is almost that almost any drug not absolutely any error can be attained readily our school age population if they so desire. In his speech. Hoskins explained it is worth it if you need it and let it grow. The school leaders and the school graduates that's a real treasure. Did practically every factor have what happened here.

We were very aware 775 post at the years here and here and there from there are a lot to look at it and it ate a pear. So far we've talked about one survey and one group of drug users. Young people when you say drugs. That's what most people think about. And we were no exception. The high school was where we started our drug study but after seven weeks and forty eight thousand feet of tape interviews compiled by eight reporters we got out of school. Sure young people are using drugs but that's only part of the story. We got into the most confused be will doing social problem in Vancouver. Drugs are surrounded by fear myths misunderstandings and a great deal of emotionalism on both sides. In the next five days we hope we can clear up part of that. Dr. J

Robertson N1 starts by clearing up a major misconception about drug use in high schools. Let us agree that in talking about psychoactive drugs that is drugs which affect behavior thinking and perception this agree that they are always emotional and at times frankly hysterical attention paid to the marijuana controversy has distracted our attention away from the true major drug misuse among young people. A drug which has well-documented physical psychiatric and social hazards which is connected with both psychological and physical dependency that is you know terminology is addictive and which is legally misuse illegally used by one of the so-called psychedelics. I'm very very opposed to alcohol. According to Doctor under. Alcohol is the major problem. Here's mall in

Nairobi. So far the media appears to have been ignoring almost completely its responsibility. There are a lot of hopeful signs right now this is this is changing rapidly but to date city the media are hooked in. But there is the established media establishment newspaper that's not just the word is quite real. They are they're hooked into police stations to City Hall so on and so forth. I say once the traditional pattern has been if they want information they go to the police chief or the mayor or the head of this

corporation or the chief doctor here or something to table who have a vested interest. As a rule in keeping things the way they are the people who have made it up in a society which is structured a certain way and who feel threatened by any change in that order because of the reasons for their having got to the top are no longer valid they may find themselves at the bottom. So in it whether it likes it or not the media tends to reflect the views of people with vested interest. The and the entrenched authorities and so on and so forth who who look tend to look at the world invariably as it was when they were beginning their long climb to the top and they just don't like what's coming up behind them. It threatens them. So the heist area has been generated about drugs by the media has steadily been a reflection of this heist area felt in the most reactionary corners in in in a social sense because a police chief says that. Marijuana kills. It wasn't very many years ago the police chiefs were saying that

or that a doctor of such and such an organization says such and such a drug is bed. The media doesn't deal with the fact that he's really really saying he's saying things that suit his position his needs and his version of reality as it was 10 15 years ago. They are now coming to the point now where they recognize they can't just call upon established authorities that they have to call upon people who might have some other knowledge of it and are going to be quite as biased columnist Bob Hunter on establishment press at the Georgia Strait we spoke to Dan McCloud. We are a voice for a lot of people a canned voice from voiceless like. Lot of people can't find expression. Rounds can't find a way to express themselves to the public and that's what a free press is about. This is to give meaning to the idea of freedom of press

because then it doesn't have any meaning in the abstract. It doesn't doesn't it's only it only exists in the abstract now. You don't you're not free unless I see you using your freedom. The effect of the underground press has been on the establishment press has just been beautiful. The establishment papers are at least in Vancouver anyway. I know the sun feels that its only valid competition is the is the Georgia Strait. And that's quite right. But they're recognizing also that comments or opinions that were reflected in the underground press was they were dismissing as being. A lunatic fringe shows of utterly stone crackpots and anarchists in fact reflected views of a pretty sizable or partly reflective user pretty sizable portion of the younger potential audience and the news media are quite

concerned with the idea that suddenly three or four or maybe 10 or 15 years from now they won't be appealing to a whole generation of readers and they can't afford to do that because they're Rochelle for existence just goes right out the window. We asked Dan McLeod about the Georgia Straight role as a leader for a significant portion of Vancouver's population where lead were leaders. I'm a leader in the sense that I publish a paper every week. But we don't have all the answers where to have. The establishment press has only answers were to have and their leaders they try to lead us around. But. Where we present a lot of different things and. Points of View change the paper changes. So. It's only a leader in the sense that if it's doing something

it's should show something every week. The bags. We're reaction after a positive song before it was really negative. Steve Grossman with media reaction to the older Grove rock festival. When harry was shuffling the overlying shows another radio stations here in town or the friends

they would have been you know during the riots started yesterday to go through my message if they want to call them. They live in Denver before kids actually come along. Told. Chris was a really good old song easy to miss if there weren't success to their hip language on the front page. I'm the guy. That. Made the second. Step. That is somebody who's going to win. The advertiser will get up tight and will get afraid if if

you see said here that the advertising is working against him and not selling his product like Columbia which through all their ads from the underground press. Partially under because of pressure from CBS and New York. But I also think they realized that they were there publishing all these ads with people sitting around turning on the man can Buster music your full page ads and all the underground papers and. They were the Columbia was the revolution of identifying with the revolution and then and they thought they could exploit the revolution. But then. I think it turned out that the the revolution was exploiting them more than they were exploiting it. And. You know I think they didn't gain as much as a revolution in from the sides and so they got it. I think they could have been afraid and backed off withdrew all their ads.

They still advertise in Canada. We don't mean that much. Maybe they just forgot to tell the Canadian officer George Strait editor Dan McLeod talking about advertising and the great event as a business. There would be people who. Were. Above average in their awareness of the drug culture advertising creative director Tom Huntley talks about drugs in advertising. We asked about psychedelia in the art and illustrations and ad layouts are new for the new form of art. Is as close to 1933 as it is to the new drug culture. They could most of the clients who are over the age of 45 and quite a few of them are would recognize it of coming out of their use posters you see today.

Alarms one could be part of an identified was a drug culture and one could be part of and. Identified with the Roaring Twenties and it would be very difficult for a layman to tell the difference. The artist who works on an advertising campaign apparently has different motivations than the artist who works on a painting for an art gallery. We contrast these comments by an art student and then advertising executive Tom Huntley. Yeah. I mean I don't know anybody who's going to psychedelic current gigs that maybe some of the Eastern mistakes. Because that's more about. Time. To meet. Him. I would year's psychedelic design in a poster that was designed to appeal to the younger market because it will attract their attention. I will use

wine in oil and lace to design it to appeal to the older market. Depends whatever I'm selling. I will contrive a design that will best communicate to that market. Find you there are crass companies running the usual magazine ads showing cartoons of your cigarettes peeking out of the top of Santas sack. Better than that. This year we have been smoking one. Yes I got salad more rugged too. Both sleeves rolled up in the tattoo and each on one of them says Merry Christmas while the other would say less tards. So if you're a man it was a product to sell it edifies that product with the market. If he feels that he can communicate with them by using that phrase Algy then he'll use that phrase owns it and this is usually done through tests and research to find out what words to use with his research. Since I don't think you believe it.

Well there's factions designed on the shelves now that. You react to before your mind as your conscious mind is slower than your subconscious mind and your subconscious mind direct your reaction. And they've proven. It sounds too ideal but can we afford for it to be otherwise. Can the madness multiply without reaching the mission point. Can we stand idly by and watch the grain develop. First our youth and then each of us one by one. What is life if it lacks meaning. What is life. If it is not alive what is life. If we don't share it it's just so.

Following the presentation written by Dr Bennett Wong We spoke to one of the actors and asked if he felt the show helped people communicate in a small way. I think we're you know I'm so I'm sort of reticent to say because no one thing that's going to do it and there's always you know even in here even in saying these things like it's so much easier to say than to do them you know. And every once in awhile like I know that I for instance can could easily fall into the space of just saying these things you know and not do them at all. You know but I'm frustrated. Same goes not just we go oh yeah because I mean the actual doing it you know is like going back home when the person who lived downstairs you know putting up with him and seeing what he has to say you know it's a much less glamorous colorful thing you know.

But it's where it's what it's all about. We asked Dr. Wong what his presentation say is actually how I am trying to get America committed to Tony to help people to realize that their country should have. Major within the health not only for everybody else but for the health for the individual now and I would hope that people would be able to make some kind of examination of themselves and then to make the necessary changes in order to help them fulfill themselves more and to share their lives with their children and other people. Jim Kelly president B.C. Teachers Federation I don't think these problems have ever been solved since mankind was invented as a species and they probably will never be solved. However I don't want that descent pessimistic because I think basically we should be optimistic about this. The problem will be solved when each individual sees something meaningful in his or her own existence. When

they feel that what they're doing is useful both to themselves to their immediate relatives and friends and to society and when they are mentally healthy enough emotionally secure enough to be able to handle and make rational decisions about each of the various problems that are placed before them. I think many young people tend to put off face so I guess we all do let's not blame the young people we all tend to put off the unpleasant kind of thing. Maybe it'll go away. Maybe if I take cover more drinks it'll go away and this never happens in my experience. Some things are healed by time but often if it's a problem of major consequences those only made worse so we have to give students young people as they as they grow ways of handling problems ways of thinking the things through and although it may be extremely painful handling a situation in a proper manner now schools can do this. A very slow process very hard to to change developments from the

law of the jungle. But families can do this. I think churches can do this I think any community institution can provide meaningful experiences and can provide ways in facing problems. After all if we're going to get hysterical maybe the youngsters are to blame then we can take it more calmly. And possibly to leave at first my dad started being used and people were scared stiff of the results and certainly we're still scared of it but we're taking a little more in our stride and trying to see well how come we can get across to them. One of the real problems I mean one of the real results of drug taking and I feel that if we treat it in that way it from being more helpful than really going

crying Halfrek Doris Hartley of the PTA. Next for his reaction columnist Bob Hunter. One thing one thing that seems to get overlooked on both sides of the fence is that you can't successfully affect change. You can't force people to change a certain way nor can you stop them from changing. Which is another way of trying to change them back into your own style. At the extreme. Ns like where you get the real polarization between the the really frantic. Good God all this is evil and wicked the end of the world is coming kind of person and the other one who says well let's just all turn on and drop out or do whatever we're going to do at those two extremes you find people who are saying no you've got to change to my way of thinking and that's ridiculous you can't do it short of brute force and that never works either. All you do is repress them. Any changes that are going to come are going to finally come out of you know self regulated fashion. We can only come as fast as they will come and go faster. It's something that gets overlooked. You get

some young people screaming God we've got to change it all overnight. Maybe we have to but we can't. That's all there is to it and attempts to just ram something an attitude or a viewpoint down people's throat does nothing but turn them off and alienate them and make them hostile. This is angelical approach that Leary uses has no effect but that at the opposite extreme we produce Art Linkletter. And it's inevitable of course. Art Linkletter goes into it his butt strap on them with hobnailed boots routine and he produces another reaction but it's mostly a ping pong ball going back and forth and nothing really gets changed in the process people just get locked into their positions even more by stoically if you can be large ties directly into position. They get more certain about their positions and they remain just as fixed. And so nothing changes. The only way it can change is for people to concentrate on getting themselves together getting their own heads in whatever way they want to do.

There's a beautiful line and you know an LP called Tommy by the Who starts screaming. Because it is going to take it's going to shake it's going to break it. Let's forget it better still rebel. That's just. Me. It.

Kind of. Felt that the kids were using drugs and the parents because they seem to be gullible for too little gain within the home. Which which of course does exist between teenagers and their parents anyways but the good drugs only make it that much worse and it gives the kind of feeling of almost the first warfare going on between the child and the parent. Dr. Bennett Wong The idea is pretty simple it's something called honesty. I am forever trying to get young people to be honest with their parents and that's actually that's a very easy thing to do. Kids will be on the parents if they can at all feel that they're going to get a fair understanding and a warm sort of response. And so it seems to me the onus. If I went on the parent I could create the kind of ad here so that the kids will feel comfortable that coming to them and being open with them

I think that that's what you think be on better communication from the Emperor to the children and I would say that young people need to bear that buttery park ability actually in their parent to make a move toward creating a cover for. A search for understanding. Written and produced by Myles Murchison undone which means technical production by the use of production assistants by John Edwards. Your host today was Frank Callahan. We welcome your comments in writing on this program and transcriptions of this documentary series are available by request through the public affairs department of C. Gale G AM and FM. Drugs a search for understanding is a production of seeking LG public affairs and contemporary new this program is protected by

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