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"~Times, Wednesday, October 18tb, 1978 Cannabis most widely usedl drug Heaith and Welfare Minis- ter" Monique Begin bas released statistics on the illegal use of narcotics and other mood-modifying drugs in Canada during 1977. The statistics ae contained in tables prepared annually by the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs of the Health Protect- ion Branch. Miss Begin stressed that these statistics do not include ail persons in Canada who might have used the drugs concerned. In fact, somne information on convictions which were recorded in 1977 have been received since the statîstics were published, and therfore is net inciuded. As bas been the practice since at ieast 1964, information about drug users from conviction data received after publicat- ion will be included in the next year's set of statistics. In spite of this time lag, the statistics provide useful infor- mation on general trends in drug use and are of value as indicators used in health planning. The continuing ten- dency for some individuals to use more than one drug makes if difficuit to classify users by specific drug. The main aspects of these statistics are: 1. Heroin Users Known heroin use remained at about the samne level as the previous year. The total number of heroin users rose slightiy to 11,281 in 1977, compared to 10,848 in 1976. Convictions for heroin in 1977 were down slightly to 375 for ail of Canada, compared to 438 in 1976. The numnber of new users decreased slightiy to 372 in 1977 from 500 in 1976. 2. Cocaine Cocaine use increased, con- tinuing a trend aparent since 1972. Convictions increased to 336 in 1977 (Up from 265 in 1976). The overali numnber of known users rose to 1711 in 1977 fromn 1346 in 1976, with new users increasing slightly f0 214 in 1977 from 201 in 1976. 3. Phencyclidine (PCP) The use of thîs drug increased significantiy. Con- victions rose f0 615 in 1977 froru 339 in 1976. The number of known users rose f0 1821 in 1977 from 1255 in 1976, and new users rose to 113 in 1977 WNha's going on here? Are Nwe in a recessýion- or is the econoi experiencing reason- able groýýth! N',ow that nm eem like a dumb iquetioni, a lotlike tandl- ing in the sunflighit and( asking, if it's raining. But the ecoflo- misis doni't seem to know the answer. So how, cant the rest of us, lovdl'i uninformied slobs that wNe are, hope to ha-ve an> insight? Let's forget, for the mo- ment, about wýhether the eco- nom * is in good shape or flot. More important is the disurb- ing tact that none of the so- called experts ieemns Io know, the ansNv4er %ith ani amnountl of certaint'N,. UIp and doiýn, around and arouind. Business ean be boom- ing one minute and disastrous the next. We Nvhaven't experi- enced this kind of economic instabilil % in decades. And the smnall business sec- tor is getting clobbered. At the best of limes, it isn't eas-, to be a smnall business pro- prietor. Even brief recessiens can prove to be fatal. U'nless the firmn has solid financial backing, there is no cushion to see it through the lean limes. Whnthe small firm fals, thie o,.ner doesn't suffer alone. Emplo Nees are thrown out of work. The government loses tax revenues. Suppliers are cut off fromn a sourve of income. And on and on. The danmage can bc mini- mized, though. A business fail- tire is seldom a personal fail- uire. With ever % unsuccessfuil business venture, the entre- prenleur acqujires kniowledge and ,klli.- Ihe eskills are in- va luable in future business N en - ltures - il'thle entrepreneur cant be convinced to mov(ýe im ans- olher buisiness inestment. Thle trick, then, is t o ensure thiat the entrepreneur iil have adequate incenfiNe to start ant- other business if the original firm fails. And, since studies have shown that about 60(i'o of the investment capital cornes fromn the entrepreneuir person- all' , another 30e/o originates wNithin the proprietor's tamil.% and close friends ani onl-, about 101( cones from ont- side sources, the most valuable step would obviously be to bol- ster the incentive structure that invites entrepreneurs, their f'aiflies and friends to laiN out their own fonds. Th le Canadian Federation of Independent Business re- gards establishment of a more attractive smail business in-vesb- ment climate as one of Cana- da's more pressing issues. With that in mind, the Federation has recommended twýo major federal tax amiendment$: a 10PO tax write-off for busi- ness investmient lasses in smail firms and exemption fromn capital gains taxes on shares of Canadian-controlled fîrms held for a( easi five' years. The first measure Aould reduce the personal risk; the second Aould increase potential profits. Canada can't afford the destruction of small firms caused b N economic instabil- it3. Somne measures to create stability are overdue. -Think smail s an editorial mnessage fromn the Canadian Federat ion of Independent Business from 49 in 1976. 4. Other narcotic drugs The increase in this group (known users up to 2429 in 1977 from 1815 in 1976) is explained by the diversion of narcotics such as hydro- codone, oxycodone and an- leridine from the legal to the illicit market. 5. Cannabis The statistics show that, once again, cannabis was by far the most widely-used prohibited substance. 0f a total of 39,293 convictions registered under the Narcotic Control Act for 1977, 37,812 involved cannabis. 0f this 37.812, the majority of convic- tions (33,961) were for simple possession. 0f these, 9256 were under the age of 19. 6. Hailucinogens There was no dramatic change in the use of hallucino- genic drugs. The total num- ber of new users increased slightly to 1177 in 1977, up from 1016 in 1976. The number of convictions dropped slight- ly to 968 in 1977, from 1168 in 1976. LSD remained the most popular halacinogen with MDA second. Charged with f ailing to yield Clarence Avery, 64, of Blackstock, bas been charged with failing to yieid folowing an accident last Wednesday. According to Durham police the accident occurred at an intersection on Regional road 57. The school bus owned by Charterways and being oper- ated for the Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education stopped at , the intersection for some fifteen minutes before starting ac- ross the intersection. When the bus entered the intersect- ion it was struck by a car driven by Brian Lenaerts, 21, of Blackstock. Elaine Len- aerts, 21, was taken to Memorial Hospital in Bow- manville for head injuries with Brian Lenaert being released after being treated for some cuts. Unemploymeflt rises in area In September there were a total of 9,750 people register- ed seeking work through the Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa Canada Employment Cen- tres. This was an increase of 1,581 over the August period. 0f the total 5,672 were female' with the remaining 4,078 being maies. The majority of clients were registered in cierical and related fields, sales, services, product fabrication and construction trades. It has been pointed out that since the centre began taking job applications for General Motors in February that this bas increased the registration upwards of one hundred a day from ail parts of the province. There has also been a surge Tickets available for Xmas concert A few tickets are still available for the Christmas Seai Variety Concert, which wiil be held on Sunday, Octobe 29th at Eastdaie Collegiate, Harmony Rond North, Oshawa. The prograni starts at 7:30 p.m., and nffers something for every musical taste, as Harry McKew hosts the County Town Singers, General Motors Choir, Ilarion Ukranian Dance Ensemble, Loreley F'olk Singers and Dancers, Oshawa Barber- shoppers and Sweet Adelines, and the Oshawa Choral Soc- iety. Tickets are $2.50, and ahl proceeds will go to the Christmas Seal Campaign, which funds research into respiratory diseases, and also provides such local com- munîty programs as this summer's Day Camp for asthmatic children at Camp Samac, Better Breathing Courses for emphysema and chronic bronchitis patients, Smoking Wthdrawal Clinics and free film and literature services. Tickets are avail- able from Information Osh- awa, or direct fromn Durham Region Lung Association by calling 723-3151. IThjlksmallI IbyJim SmithI A Dumb Question? NOTICE Clerk's Notice of First Posting of Preliminary List The Municipal Elections Act 1977, section 24 Preliminary List, 1978 of the Town of Newcastle, Regional1 Municipaity of Durham Notice is bereby given that 1 have complied with Section 24 of The Municipal Elections Act, 1977 and that 1 have posted up at my office at 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville, on the I8th day of October, 1978, the list of ail persons entitied to vote in the municipality at municipal elections, and that sucb list remains there for inspection. And 1 hereby call upon ail electors to take immediate proceedings to have any errors or omissions corrected according to law. The last day for filing complaints is' the 27th day of October, 1978. The place at which the revision will commence i s 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville The time at which the revision will commence is 9 a.m., 18th day of October, 1978. Dated this l8th day of October, 1978. J.M. Mcllroy, A.MC.T. Clerk, Corporation of the Town of Newcastle. The Corporation of the Town &f'Newcastle NOTICE Revision and Certification of the Assessment Commissionerý's List School Support Entry Last Day for Filing an Apeal October 27, 1978 Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Section 516 of The Municipal Act and the Ontario Regulation 374-72 as amended, 1 have posted up at my office, on October 18,1978, a copy of the Assessment Commissioner's List showing the Sehool Support for il persons who are qualified to direct taxes for the taxation year .1979. The persons who are qualifîed to, direct taxes are: Owners, Joint Owners, Tenants or Joint Tenants. I hereby call upon ail persons qualified to direct taxes in the Town of Newcastle to take immediate proceedings to have any errors corrected, the last day for appeal being.October 27, 1978. Revision of the list f br a change in School Support will commence on October 18, 1978 in the Clerk's Office, 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville. Appeaî forms for alteration of your School Support' are available at the Clerk's Office. Dated at the Town of Newcastle this î8th day of October, 1978. J.M. Mllroy, A.M.C.T. Clerk Corporation of the Town of Newcastle.