DRUG USE ISN'T A PUBLIC-HEALTH MATTER

Letter to the Editor

I take umbrage at Robert Sharpe's assertion that heroin use creates
public-health problems (Letters, July 7). Mr. Sharpe is correct that drug
prohibition is directly responsible for the death and disease of users as
well as the crime that users resort to to pay black-market prices for their
drugs. However, drug-taking is a private-health matter that ought not to be
of any concern to public-health officials.

Flesh-eating disease, typhoid, tuberculosis and polio are examples of
communicable diseases that are of legitimate concern to public health.
Sanitary conditions conducive to breeding rats can be considered a
public-health problem as well.

One's neighbour sitting at home over-indulging in alcohol or drugs, or
cheeseburgers for that matter, is a private health matter. These are all
volitional acts.

Obfuscation of what is private and what is public health does a disservice
to the idea of freedom and liberty and the responsibility that goes with
those notions. Excessive drinking, taking dangerous drugs and eating fatty
foods are vices, not crimes.

Chris Buors

Winnipeg