Just
say
I'm James fathomed on this program another six which follow.
We will be exploring the world of drugs the complex issues raised by drugs in our
society and particularly the rising concern.
With drug use among children in elementary and junior high schools.
Now you may say this doesn't concern me or my children or my community.
But this is less and less true.
We found that if you ask any child in this age range.
Do you know other children who are using drugs.
The answer is usually yes this was not true.
Several years ago the change has been sudden swift and dramatic.
Now there are a host of attitudes points of view and information
that we're all exposed to on this subject some confuses us some allows us to become
complacent some disturbs us some is illuminated school children hear them all
and must make decisions.
And I think that there are actually two two ways in which
and planning means in particular may be misused and abused.
Perhaps the largest single group of drugs.
Abusers or mis users are housewives and truck drivers
and professional people who who use amphetamines for reasons other than weight loss
are as anti-depressants for treatment narcolepsy.
But those photos very clear this is
that most people are involved in the drug scene because of their own health
problems not the boss of the world else you get paid for
this cock up.
Now wait a minute.
You know you won't let me
go by myself apologies.
With the call mom put it on the top
and kids are stupid.
They really know where to get drugs
and I feel it's easier to find to get out sooner speed or somethin.
Just to buy bubble gum
and a strike should have to wait mind works.
There was a violation Chad between the use of marijuana
and the eventual use of heroin.
Apparently I don't think it's a causal relationship.
And this is not the reason why marijuana cannabis a T.V.
Is in our statutes as a dangerous substance or as a narcotic
or anything else it is a dangerous substance all by itself.
We have found here in our area
that one of the most effective approaches to young people.
Is to chat with them about what kind of a
person are who we are
when the only way we can get kicks in the only way we can have a meaningful party.
The only way we can get pressures.
Off our backs
and the only way we can cope with situations is through a chemical
that we're not really much as a person because the because if you quit trying to be
a good wife the psych you don't like it because I was going to be thinking come on
it's really you know because it's good to maybe you know me know
that if I had it on American I could have maybe look at you funny
and I didn't probably get mad because you don't make
the case I currently can be cured
and I'm with the idea. No they're not happy.
I'm the committee.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
Thank you Jimmy don't have a ticket.
Mike do you think can take a little bit of.
The for you
to air the new
I am a good sign.
And it's a parody my attention is because I find you want to be because I'm using
the image
and don't want to examine the definitive in the
in
your bit of the
good
it's stimulating mind expanding paper the news about alcohol.
It's got to generation.
And as much a part of growing up as smoking cornsilk behind the back fence.
Subject to the mix.
Concerning marijuana thousands of young people into experiment being without
noxious weed. The facts are otherwise met a lot.
I hear that I'm talk for getting mind mumbling grog. It's use can be.
Normal behavior. The psychological You are the drugs.
You know when it is made. You make.
It hardly up think or call your brother experiment where.
This is about not perfect service might forget the American Medical Association
your local station.
I think the joints of a much stronger martini because well some people in my team
you can really find a joint usually always take she
gets you high and Martini.
You just feel
that you don't really get the point where you can't drive a car anything. Dr Z.
Vacuum in my glass a minor is a drink when you come to an action
that we wanted as a morning to C.-X.. One joy.
We didn't do all that much and pretty powerful
but I think if you just want to relax a little bit.
That's why a lot of people smoke just relax
and just a little bit you know I don't say it if you discussed it go home
and get stoned you know that that's not the idea
that I think some people drink socially they call it. I think a lot of adults do.
Just because drinks are going on
and there's not much different in today's
program we'll look at the pervasive drug influences in today's America with
comments by experts on aspects of the drug problem.
Later programs will look at the role of drugs in other cultures
and the pharmacology of specific drugs.
We will see how children are exposed to drugs at an early age.
We will observe a series of dialogues between teachers children
and consultants to communities responses to the issues will be presented.
Finally we will see children
and adults working together to better understand each other
and consider alternatives to. Drug experimentation.
Let us begin now with a key statement by Dr Joel forte.
Former drug consultant to the World Health Organization former director of the
Council on Alcoholism for Alameda County.
And presently lecturer in the School of Social Welfare at the University of
California Berkeley. First of all we live in a drug ridden
or drug saturated society where people are taught from infancy to use a wide
variety of mind altering drugs
and older people like many younger people have to conform to the pressures of
the massive advertising and promotion
and distribution of certain drugs the glorification of certain other drugs such as
marijuana and L.S.D.
By the mass media politicians
and drug policeman the desire to find
or at least to seek escape.
Relaxation sometimes feeling with many people essentially not being able to
feel anything.
A sense of socializing with other people is certainly involved going along with the
crown and again I think we're taught.
That we cannot have a good time to not find happiness
or significance in life without depending on one or more mind altering drugs.
People don't have parties without drugs.
The cocktail party of course the most common group drug experience in American
society and they have accepted it.
In essence I think as a summary answer to the question the adult world
and an increasing number of young people as well have accepted
and are living the industrial slogan of better living through chemistry.
A study by the Stanford Research Institute indicate
that the average middle class home contains about thirty medications.
Half of these are prescribed on the advice of medical doctors most of the rest are
self prescribed bought on the advice of friends
or through advertising pharmaceutical products
and big business about eight billion dollars worth in one thousand nine hundred
sixty seven. It is an industry that grows.
On vigorous research and new product development.
Seven out of ten prescriptions written today are for drugs that were unknown.
Fifteen years ago. Advertising is essential to the drug manufacturer.
One major stream of advertising is to the two hundred sixty five thousand M.D.'s
who write prescriptions.
Here is the accumulation of one week's mail to a psychiatry assist a gynecologist
and a pediatrician M.D.'s receive an average of eight thousand pieces of
advertising samples
and brochures a year for the rest of us advertising teaches directs
and channels our uncertainties about illness medication
and mood changing drugs into specific products to buy
in the first version of this program several television commercials were seen one
for a national brand of wine. One for a headache remedy.
And one for a tablet good for headaches stomach upset codes etc.
All of the companies involved later withdrew their permissions in point of fact all
but one of the numerous companies we contacted were unwilling to have their
commercials viewed in the context of this program.
Many told us that they felt it was inappropriate.
To have their product seen as part of a drug using culture.
It is clear however
that some drug advertisers describe their products in such glowing terms
that our children begin to associate adult drug use with magical properties mood
change instant release
and other all pervasive affects the corporations who are unwilling to air.
Television commercials were companies selling beer wine. Coffee.
Aspirin related products cold fields and medications for children.
For the next two days.
Notice these products
and notice how they are advertised consider what out the tubes your children are
learning.
Obviously diseases have been checked life has been extended
and living conditions have been improved through the use of drugs
but the basic message of these and other advertisements is
that the quality of life can be improved through drugs.
It would appear that we are living in a drug conscious
and a drug using society this series.
However is not about all drugs and not about all people
but centers on the young their interest their fascination with drugs in a drug
conscious society whether we like it
or not a growing number of children are experimenting with a growing number of
drugs at an earlier an earlier age.
That was part of a song called White Rabbit by the Jefferson Airplane.
It was very popular with the young it refers repeatedly to drugs many adults are
puzzled by this kind of music children are puzzled when you tell them this.
It is simply another reflection of the growing interest in drugs among the young
Why this interest. There are many kinds of answers.
We've asked experts from a variety of backgrounds an in-service instructor in the
drug education.
Drugs
or does the have been here for quite a while people of all age levels use them from
the very young
and very old I don't think collectively we can come up with
one solution. A judge of disappearing a court of the city
and county of San Francisco for four years I served as judge of the psychiatric
department of the Superior Court had a chance Francisco General Hospital in
that capacity. I had to determine whether or not.
People and young people in particular would be sent to the state hospital
and there I saw the tragic impact of drug abuse upon our children
and I said to myself that something ought to be done about it
and what can be done about it.
Well now let me give you a contrast which perhaps might furnish an answer.
I don't think the answer lies in criminal sanctions and harsh criminal sanctions.
You see now I preside over the criminal Department of their superior court
and people are brought before me because they have used drugs
and the penalty is a very severe.
And the people are treated as criminals and not as sick people.
But I want to make this clear that it is the law and the law must be obeyed
and in this connection I'd like to call attention to the fact
that in my office are. Two thousand affidavit filed by people.
In a case attacking the constitutionality of the marijuana statute.
And among the two thousand people.
All of them said that marijuana was not harmful
and most of them said marijuana was not harmful because they themselves had used it
and I disagree with these people.
I think that marijuana is harmful psychologically harmful and I do not believe
that marijuana should be legalized. But what causes me.
A shock if I may say so weird
that two thousand people in effect have indicated that they have violated the law.
Now the answer does not lie in violating the law.
The answer lies in the tempting by democratic means to change the law
and it may well be
that the legislature at some time in the future may change the law and say
that violations of the law for drug use shall not be punished by criminal sanction.
But until that is done the law must be abated.
I do think that the penalties are much too severe.
I do not think for example
that a person who uses a drug should be treated as the same type of criminal.
That is the man who takes a gun. And rob someone or the man who kills.
Or the man who steal.
And child psychiatry is supposed to be elation we know
that some of the drugs taken are simply for the hallucinogenic effect they can take
downers or uppers
or Middlers In any case the need for stimulation sensory stimulation is obviously
manifest in their non-drug the here
and this is found in the music in the dress in the clothing in the bazaar It's
almost as if one were sensory hungry
and that's the hunger somehow in suburbia was not met
and it is my very definite opinion
that until we find more download ease of stimulating the young mind.
And body within either the school setting
or in the community where they can feel a part of something where something has
meaning where there is feedback from say adult to use and use to adult
that we're going to be missing about in any educational program where did this need
for stimulation come from.
And remember the key were stimulation which is opposite to boredom
and if there's any common phrase used as to why youngsters are taking drugs
or doing the more dire way out think it is that they are bored and then
that I mean researcher.
Well if you're talking about the use of amphetamine intravenously I think there are
two to drug effects which are important.
Number one is the immediate effect of the drug that is the flash
or the rush which is in many ways similar to a total body orgasm
and a lot of people who use amphetamines use them primarily for the for the flash
or rush of this very this very delightful feeling
that the one initially has suddenly there's a long range stimulus effect where one
feels euphoric. Very confident of his abilities.
He feels that he's able to to think very quickly
that he's very perceptive in some cases of use over a long period of time the Fed
means become almost psychedelic in effect.
And finally there is the kind of lifestyle
that one gets caught up in namely the the total involvement in using
and procuring amphetamines and
and in a sense his life becomes very similar to the kind of life
that a heroin addict leaves
that he is totally consumed with with with the use of the painting of drugs
and his friends are involved in the drug scene and there's a certain excitement
and challenge by the whole scene that is very attractive some people a minister.
Some kids are misusing drugs because they've got a pretty distorted picture of who
they are they're healthy kids they've got a lot to go.
Going for them in terms of their ability to study to relate to be free.
But for some reason.
That's not the way they see themselves that maybe the way the world views them
but that's not the way that seems.
And so they continue in their drug abuse to to to kind of cope with
that kind of an unhappy world and I counsel a girl now for instance.
Who every Sunday night becomes very nervous very anxious she's very tight.
She is trying to prepare herself for facing school on Monday.
Now this girl isn't in the best sense of the word beautiful
and I don't mean just physically she's really great.
She's in culture a pretty solid family she's got tremendous potential She's open
and free. She laughs but she feels rejected.
Now in some way she's trying to handle the social kind of problem which by any
objective measure really does not exist but as a way of coping
and drugs accomplish a great deal of them in the short period of time she takes
barbiturates almost exclusively Reds are second.
And it allows you just to back off from the pain of what she feels is rejection.
So those who I think stay with
that are people who are trying to cope with a kind of a negative self
image. Whether it's real or imaginary
and I always qualify
that because I'm afraid I don't like to generalize not all users are escapists.
Not all of them are clamoring after watching some storm
but those who did act out in extreme fashion are people that are hurt people
and this is their way of kind of pulling back into a corner and saying what's
that got to this name. This is my bag a superintendent of schools.
The people in our district to.
Spent a great deal of time talking with young people tell me
that the young people continually say
that there is a breakdown in communication with the parents the parents either are
not interested in listening or that they don't have the time to listen or
that they don't care. The fact that their parents may be over involved in Word
or in various other activities which they may have this is the sort of feedback
that we get we talked with two men of widely different experience one.
Dr Steven Patel works in a research project in Haiti Ashbury.
The other done McKeown is the director of instruction in a middle class school
system.
It is interesting how their comments reinforce each other and young people
that are using the drugs come from every walk of life.
The old stereotype that only the bad kids from bad environment
and bad homes are the drug users just doesn't hold true anymore where quite sure
now that the drug problem goes through our society.
One continuum to the other those who are economically well off those who are
economically poor.
And are those in between those who come from the good parts of town quote
and the bad parts of town.
And everyone there is no one that escapes.
They come from very diversified backgrounds.
Little class families lower class families even a number of upper class families.
Geographically they come from our over United States.
The peer group pressure
that our young people are under today the desire to be with the group to be one of
them is certainly a very key factor in their turning to the use of drugs.
And I guess the only thing that they have in common is. Their failure to.
I find some sort of identity in any previous environment if they've been in they
feel that they are.
More at home with the people who are here in the head Ashbury who are using drugs
and they feel that they can communicate better with others who use drugs.
Young people in school today are being asked to perform at levels which we
seriously doubted were possible in years before.
So therefore we're having a motional pressures on our young people.
And some of them are turning to drugs to escape.
Others are turning to drugs to turn on instead of turning off to become stimulated
they seek excitement and psychologically they're somewhat unstable
and turn to the use of drugs to do this they're often a lonely.
Sometimes confused.
And often very idealistic young people who are trying to find some meaning in life
through the hippie culture through the use of drugs.
Young sensitive bored maladjusted searching
or curious children are attracted to drug experimentation in a drug oriented
society.
Ours is not the first culture to grapple with the attractiveness of drugs
but rarely has a culture focus this kind of attention on the issue.
This series will look at the most basic of these issues.
The children are choosing and I believe that in education.
We are obligated to give the young people the knowledge so
that they can make a proper decision.
We know that the decisions that are being made by young people are made
when we're not there to help them.
So therefore we must prepare them to make these decisions
and if we believe in education then we must believe in knowledge and the.
They
use.
To see.
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