DRUGS POLICY AN ABJECT FAILURE

The war on drugs has been a catastrophic failure.

Just as the prohibition era in the US led to the rise of Al Capone
and the Mafia, the failed prohibitionist policies on some drugs
today has led to an explosion in vicious criminality.

This is one of the great tragedies of our time.

The State has no right to stop individuals from enjoying themselves
responsibly. According to UN estimates, the illicit drug business
generates $400bn (€273bn) annually in trade, which is about 8pc of
all international trade, putting it on a par with tourism and the oil industry.

Globally, the war on drugs costs at least €100bn (€68bn) yet,
according to Richard Davenport Hines in his excellent book 'The
Pursuit of Oblivion -- A Global History of Narcotics': "10pc to 15pc
of illicit heroin and 30pc of illicit cocaine is intercepted. Drug
traffickers have gross profit margins of up to 300pc. At least 75pc
of illicit drug shipments would have to be intercepted before the
traffickers' profits were hurt."

This ludicrous prohibitionist policy has been an abject failure and
makes no economic or practical sense.

The increasing cost borne by our economies, our taxpayers and those
killed by the drug gangs means that legalisation is an historical
inevitability. My only hope for humanity is that the madness ends
sooner before more blood is needlessly spilled.

WILL LYNCH

CASTLEKNOCK, DUBLIN 15