DRUGS PROHIBITION IS NOT THE CURE FOR ADDICTS

There is a middle ground between drug prohibition and blanket
legalisation. Switzerland's heroin maintenance program has been shown
to reduce disease, death and crime among chronic users. Providing
addicts with standardised doses in a clinical setting eliminates many
of the problems associated with heroin use.

Heroin maintenance pilot projects are under way in Canada, Germany,
Spain and the Netherlands. If expanded, prescription heroin
maintenance would deprive organised crime of a core client base. This
would render illegal heroin trafficking unprofitable and spare future
generations' addiction.

Cannabis should be taxed and regulated like alcohol, only without the
ubiquitous advertising. Separating the hard and soft drug markets is
critical. As long as cannabis distribution remains in the hands of
organised crime, consumers of the most popular illicit drug will
continue to come into contact with sellers of cocaine.

Robert Sharpe, MPA policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington DC