(PRWEB) December 11, 2004 -- Australia is a place of fantastic beaches and we all love our fun in the sand and surf. But often we see it sadly married with drugs. There is a misnamed “soft” drug called Marijuana that has given Australia the unfortunate position of one of the top users of this drug in the world.

Recent NSW government surveys show over a quarter of 14-19 year olds have tried it. And why? The youth are drawn in by the apparent social veneer that it "helps one to have a good time or be cool.

" To counteract this, the Drug-Free Ambassadors have done a series of anti-drug education events including Maroubra Fun Run and Coogee Family Fun Day, just Saturday 4 December and the Ambassadors distributed the booklet, "The Truth about Joints” for this area. Spokesperson Cyrus Brooks said about the release: “It gives you the hard-hitting facts including solutions to unravel the tangling web of drug addiction.

The response was enthusiastic, with youth and adults alike taking the pledge to lead drug free lives and carry the torch to the future generation. In fact, young Maria took down the Ambassador details to get the group to come to her school and promote the program.

” The Drug-Free Ambassadors, an anti-drug initiative of the Church of Scientology, formed about seven years ago to speak to kids directly at fairs, festivals, schools and community organizations, to let them know that it is not hopeless and something can be done about the drug problem.

With it's easy to follow concepts it has attracted thousands of youth to be part of it. They all swear-in on a pledge to be drug free and in turn help others. “Coogee was great with 265 youth and adults signing the drug free pledge,” Mr. Brooks continued.

From the beginning their were positive responses including a lady who had been through it herself and profusely thanked the team for doing the work. There were also a fair few adults who expressed they were pro-drug and it hammered home the fact that it was important to be in the area as drugs can grow insidiously almost into part of the beach culture and one has to eradicate it through education and knowledge.

” And the new booklet is very popular. People will find out the truth; such as the fact that Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Australia. Around 44% of the male population have used marijuana. Daily users tend to be males.

Australia consequently has one of the highest rates of male suicide in the world, with a direct link between marijuana use, depression and suicide. The drug effects of Marijuana include depression and drug induced psychosis - leading to more drugs to handle the "mental" problems, which really are caused from the drugs.

If you decriminalise marijuana as was done in South Australia, the statistics
of the dope user moving onto amphetamines, LSD and heroin are far, far greater.
This doesn't even address the whole array of cheap designer drugs, mixed in
chemical labs and also the use of psychiatric drugs on the party and club-scene.

Marijuana is a "gateway" drug, leading onto the harder substance use and
abuse. Hence reducing teenage use of marijuana will in fact decrease the amount
of heroin users.

This is a vital activity. Author and Humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard said, "when
children become unimportant to a society, that society has forfeited its
future." Call for more details: Cyrus Brooks, 9692 7308 or 0428 755 244.