DRUG COMMON SENSE?

One of the people who responded to a recent interactive editorial about the
war on drugs threw out an interesting challenge. "What sort of drug policy,"
asked Vera Bradova, "would a constitutional rationalist with libertarian
tendencies (the editorial page editor's self-described philosophy) support?"

Well, let's try.

Most might agree on a few common-sense principles applied fairly regularly
in our republic: 1. What people do to themselves is not properly the concern
of "society." 2. People are responsible for their behavior, and it is
society's business when those actions harm others. 3. We have a special
obligation to protect our children. 4. Public policy (including taxation)
sometimes should seek to influence individual behavior.

But can we apply that common sense to drug policy?

So begins the editorial for the next edition of Interactive Evening Forum,
which will be in Wednesday's News-Sentinel. The editorial will be online at
The News-Sentinel's Web site (www.news-sentinel.com/ns/) from tonight
through Monday. If you'd like to participate in the online discussion, click
on "Forum" and follow the instructions to share your comments. Those
participating by Tuesday afternoon could see their comments included with
the editorial Wednesday.