The present system, like all bans, has a well proven record of
complete failure.

The Government could usefully heed the adage, "When what you are doing
isn't working - do something else". No one would advocate the open,
over-the-counter sale of drugs, but some form of controlled,
state-managed sale is the only way forward - perhaps addict
registration with sales being monitored by smart card technology. This
would at least expose the problem to full view, rather than allowing
it to continue corrupting society unseen.

And it is far better that the vast sums of money currently going into
the hands of dangerous criminals go to the state instead.

It can be used to repair the damage that the failure to deal with the
problem properly has done. As for the "message" it would send to
society, this would tell us that the Government is at last prepared to
stop preaching and bring practical solutions to bear.

ROGER TAYLOR
Meols, Wirral