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The facts about Natural High

By Lisa Garbutt

This letter is in response to George Tsai's column in Viewpoint ("George, you've come a long way, baby!" Jan. 31). Ever since Tsai's first column this school year (Oct. 11), he has chosen to target Leslie Damski and the Natural High Committee in an attempt to voice his beliefs about having fun with alcohol and other drugs (AODs).

There are several facts I would like Tsai to know because it is evident that he is completely ignorant about Natural High and its function. He has used erroneous information, degrading language and even slanderous name calling to get his views across.

First I would like to make it clear that Damski is not the "director" of the Natural High Committee. She does not even belong to the committee. UCLA Natural High is comprised of student volunteers and is student run. We would greatly appreciate if when Tsai chooses to make comments about Natural High, he would note this fact and not just make up committee members.

Secondly, neither Leslie Damski, who is the Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator in Student Health Service/Health Education, nor the members of Natural High sent a copy of one of his Viewpoint articles to his parents. Finally, UCLA's Natural High Program is not alone. There is a nationwide, campus-based program network instituted by the Department of Education.

Contrary to Tsai's remarks, we are not an anti-alcohol program nor are we prohibitionists telling students that the only way to have a good time is our way (this should really shock Tsai). We were established primarily to offer alternative programming to the students on campus who prefer to have a good time without using AODs. As a matter of statistical fact, 39 percent of the student body on UCLA's campus, prefer to be in a social environment where AODs are not the focal point of activity and approximately 19 percent choose not to drink at all. Had Tsai taken a moment to call Natural High he wou1d have found out what Natural High is really all about.

Tsai once claimed that he was "advocating responsibility and moderation" ("On a quest for a satisfactory high ... natural or not," Oct. 11). If this were true, he probably would not be working against the efforts of Natural High by wrongfully depicting Natural High and calling students and professionals on this campus by slanderous names. Instead, he would be working in conjunction with our educational efforts.

Garbutt is a fifth-year senior and the historian of the UCLA's Natural High Committee.

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