In a crossfire
University drug center
caught between groups
By Sean Meyers
Of the Emerald
Editor’s Note: This is the second of a
three-part series examining current
marijuana laws and proposals for
changes.
The University's Drug Information
Center is a Beirut in the Oregon mar
ijuana conflict — caught between war
ring factions but unwilling to choose
sides
That position has a few people upset
in a war of words where information —
whether proven or not — is the dead
liest weapon
The drug center began 11 years ago
and has operated under grants from the
University, county and state as well as
contributions from private concerns
and fees for presentations. But the
Legislature, in a budget squeeze,
pulled out financial support and the
center s staffing has dropped from five
full-time employees to two.
Despite the cutback, there's no
shortage of critics to kick the Drug
Information Center while it's down
Center director Mark Miller says
proponents of both sides of the mar
ijuana issue — for and against legalized
personal use — end up distorting the
purpose of the center to represent their
own views.
John Saja, a spokesman for the pro
marijuana Oregon Marijuana Initiative,
says Miller is "teaching kids how (mar
ijuana) can be used responsibly "
"That is absolutely false,'' says
Miller At no time do we promote
drugs, and at no time do we encourage
drug use Our job — all we re allowed to
do — is to provide information
We draw criticism from the anti
marijuana people because they don't
see us pounding the podium against
drugs," says Miller "And the pro-mar
ijuana people don't want to admit that
we show the potential harmful effects of
the drug They really want their own
values leiieidieu,
and we re not here
to do that "
Miller cited a sur
vey that says 60
percent of school
kids have smoked
marijuana and 40
percent have not
"If I walk into a
school and appear
anti-marijuana then
that 60 percent is
going to immediate
ly turn me off, no
matter what I say," says Miller "If I
appear pro-marijuana, that 40 percent
is going to turn me off, no matter what I
say this agency has to be a neutral
information source to maintain its
credibility
"Marijuana is just about the most
hotly politicized issue in Oregon," says
Miller "Even more so than abortion
People don't see it as a gray issue any
more, they see it as either black or
white."
But Oregon Free From Drug Abuse,
which represents about 30 organiza
tions throughout the state, is less than
enamored with Miller's presentations
Mark Miller publicly maintains that
he is neutral and that he just gives out
information," says Nan Henderson,
director of the organization. "Our posi
tion is that he is not neutral, that he
presents the use of illegal drugs as not
that bad and not that harmful
Henderson says the presentations
give the impression that marijuana is
"safer than legal drugs using his con
sumer safety rules,”
Henderson says Miller cites outdated
sources that give a distorted picture of
the medical effects of drugs.
"Especially on marijuana and cocaine
We just haven’t been happy with his
presentations "
Miller says his presentations are
threefold — the first task is to provide
Emerald Graphic
accurate information
"I'm well aware of what parents want
me to tell their kids But when we exag
gerate the issues, we lose credibility,"
says Miller
Presentations also stress "decision
making techniques." Dosages of cer
tain drugs are available to prevent per
manent damage.
And the center promotes alterna
tives
"When you ask a kid what it would
take for them to stop using drugs, they
say simple Give me something bet
ter.’ "
Contrary to Oregon Free From Drug
Abuse’s stance on Miller’s presenta
tions, Oregonians Cooperating to
Reduce Drug Abuse, headquartered in
Eugene, says Miller gives an accurate
picture of the dangers of drug use
"When you concentrate your efforts
on feeding kids scare stories about how
marijuana causes brain damage, and
those reports haven't been proved
conclusively,” says Joe Wilson,
spokesman for OCRDA. then they
start questioning the things they hear
about PCP, heroin and other danger
ous drugs
"As far as I’m concerned, what Nan
Henderson is doing is using prejudice
against marijuana When you do not
allow the truth to be known, then what
you’re doing is promoting drug abuse "
—
Funding cuts
halt park work
By Lisa Erb
Of the Emerald
The Lane County public works depart
ment says it needs private park opera
tors" who would maintain County owned
parks in return for the rights to operate
such enterprises as marina facilities and
concession stands on park land
The county laid off all of its field main
tenance staff on Oct 15 due to county
budget cuts. Now there is no one to
maintain its five major parks: Orchard
Point. Richardson, Baker Bay, Lowell,
and Camp Lane
"The way things stand right at the
moment is that Lane County’s parks are
closed," says Craig Starr, superinten
dent of the Public Services Division of
the Department of Public Works.
"We suffered a 50 to 60 percent bud
get cut last year," Starr says "And our
funds lasted until the middle of October
Now we are searching for a way of still
providing recreation opportunities for
the county.”
A major proposition under considera
tion now is to allow private businesses to
operate on park land and to use some of
their revenues to keep the park properly
maintained
A business contract has been drafted,
and will be discussed and made final at a
meeting today at 7:30 p m in the main
meeting room of Harris Hall, 125 E
Eighth Avenue
k The Open Space Advisory Committee
will solicit comments from public and
private park operators, and request
competitive bids from those interested in
taking on park maintenance.
The general provisions of the
proposed contract cite the business
owner as the "park operator" responsi
ble for landscape, facility maintenance,
operation and management of monring
boats, camping, picnic reservations
entry fees, concessions and events
According to Craig, the county will
exercise a large amount of control over
the general quality of the park and its
facilities
Craig expresses doubts about con
tracting with businesses as a solution
"It's pretty tough We've got records of
how much revenues parks bring in, and
how much money the county has spent,
and we couldn't cover our cost "
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