DRUG USAGE IS RESPONSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUAL

Re: the Dec. 29 letter "Drug Echoes of the '60s."

The real problem of trying to control our drug use through the law is that
we are controlling what we do with ourselves by intimidation. It would be
much better to control it through health-regarding motivation.

Controlling our drug use through intimidation also involves police
undercover work, i.e. the police tell lies, pretend to want or to sell an
illegal substance so as to lay charges to put sellers and users in prison.
This fills our courts so that court action is delayed and also fills our
prisons, and both of these consequences are paid for by taxpayers.

All this is totally unnecessary as we have laws to address the evil
consequences of substance abuse. It is also corrosive of good relations
between Parliament, which makes the law, police who enforce it and the
public who pay for it.

I am not suggesting that if our substance use were based on health
interests there would be no substance abuse. Of course there would be, but
it would not be any worse than it is now, and might be much better. If the
individual is responsible for his or her substance abuse and for the
consequences of abuse, then trust would be re- established between
government expert advisers and users.

Henry Boston

Victoria

POT NO PANACEA FOR CHRONIC PAIN

Re: "The case for reform" (a letter to the editor. Dec. 17).

Writer Jim Geiwitz' claim that marijuana is "effective against" chronic
fatigue syndrome is yet another ill-informed and cruel assertion aimed at a
vulnerable group of individuals who are only too aware that there is, as
yet, no "one medicine proven effective" against this profoundly disabling
disease.

While we accept that, for some individuals, in some circumstances, and
judiciously used, marijuana may be effective in the treatment of pain,
there is - to our knowledge - absolutely no indication in the literature of
either conventional or alternative medicine that marijuana is of any use in
the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.

It is our opinion that statements such as those of Geiwitz are ill-
considered and irresponsible when directed at a group of individuals in
desperate need of a cure.

Hellie McClellend President, M.E. Victoria Association (Support group for
those with chronic fatigue syndrome).