The following scenarios and their likely outcomes by year were emailed to us by The International Coalition for Drug Awareness,
http://www.drugawareness.org/
I feel the outcomes are very familiar to many of us. We can relate and the trends are quite alarming.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1968 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up mates.
2008 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives, mobiles with video of fight confiscated as evidence. Johnny and Mark are charged with assault, AVOs are taken out and both are suspended even though it was Johnny who started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings conducted. The video is shown on 6 internet sites.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1968 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2008 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counseled to death, becomes a zombie and is tested for ADD. School gets extra funding because Jeffrey has special needs. Jeffrey drops out of school.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1968 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2008 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang and becomes a crack addict. Psychologist tells Billy's sister that surely she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mum has an affair with the psychologist. Psychologist gets a promotion.
Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings joint to college.
1968 - Mark shares a smoke with the college principal.
2008 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from College for drug possession. His car and flat are searched for drugs and weapons. Given a fine and community service.
Scenario: Vijay fails high school English.
1968 - Vijay goes to Remedial English, passes and goes to college.
2008 - Vijay's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against Department of Education and his English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Vijay is given his leaver's certificate anyway but ends up picking cabbages for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover fireworks, puts them in a model plane and blows up an anthill.
1968 - Ants die.
2008 - Anti terror squad are called and Johnny is charged with domestic Terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls in the playground and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1968 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2008 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy, becomes gay.
