That the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) hierarchy would lend credibility, if not support, for this extraordinary suggestion is lamentable.

There seemed to be no end of critics jumping on Treasurer Joe Hockey for talking about kids off their head on ice in the Brisbane Street mall, but out pops some artist who wants to dope up kids for the sake of creative art, and not a peep from the same critics.

MONA creative director Leigh Carmichael described the idea, by artist Leon Ewing, as provocative, brave and creative. Mr Carmichael should realise that with his lofty position comes a high degree of responsibility. It is not a licence to foster drug taking among our youth and portray it as legitimate creativity.

Whether intended or not, it is precisely this message that is being channeled to our children, at a time when drug taking, especially the drug ice, has reached crisis levels nationally.

Granted, marijuana is not ice but it is the same culture, and is known to cause mind-altering health problems among users.

According to the Victorian Department of Health marijuana can cause learning difficulties, memory loss, psychotic illness, emphysema, throat cancer and low immune system leading to infection.

The National Youth Mental Health Foundation says drug and alcohol abuse can lead to behavioural change, risk taking, mental distress and mental health disorder and damage to school and work responsibilities.

Any suggestion that drugs can free the mind and accelerate learning and creativity among children is naive and irresponsible.

Politicians and community leaders should condemn the suggestion. Creative ideas are okay to put out there but not without warnings about the risks. To promote drug taking among our youth as a safe and useful artistic endeavour is absurd.