MORAL VALUES OR LIVES?

What on earth is John Howard doing? Conservative views on drug use, in
most instances grossly tainted by selected people's moral views,
reflect the aim of eradicating drugs through zero tolerance. Could it
be that Major Brian Watters's followers prefer to uphold a clean bill
of moral health at the expense of deaths caused by heroin overdose?

Mr Howard's revamp of the latest national drug campaign makes it all
too clear that political brownie points with conservative voters are
far more important to Howard than a drug campaign that may reduce the
harm being caused by drug use. Usage will continue whether Howard
dances to his own moral marching band or not.

He should wake up to himself. Harm minimisation may just make it safer
for people to do what they are going to do anyway.

Zero tolerance is not going to stop drug use and it is not going to
save lives. It may, however, ensure that the problem goes underground
and that already escalating heroin overdoses will increase. It has not
worked anywhere else; it won't work here.

Claudine Martijn, St Peters.