GET TOUGH ON DRUGS - THEY DESTROY LIVES AND FAMILIES

I WOULD like to draw attention to the recent announcement by Mo Mowlem, the
former Northern Ireland Secretary, that she smoked cannabis in her younger
days.

On the Lib Dem side we have Susan Kramer, the candidate for London Mayor,
and their party' s Treasury spokesman, Matthew Taylor, also admitting to
youthful indulgences.

On the one hand you can admire these people for being honest in coming
forward and admitting to such experiences. However, I am concerned that
they are attempting to raise the debate about drugs in general. The Lib
Dems, in particular, have called for a Royal Commission to debate drug laws.
Those who wish to legalise cannabis have welcomed this.

Richard Holloway, the Bishop of Edinburgh, who admits to trying cannabis
says: "It seems to me that as long as we teach our young children to live
moderately and use these recreational substances moderately, then that is a
wise policy."

Mike Goodman, director of the drug charity Release, which supports the
legalisation of cannabis, said Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy's call
symbolised an "enormous moment in the case for changing the drug laws".

Last year the "Evening Courier" reported the vandalism on the Elland war
memorial when someone had daubed graffiti promoting cannabis. ("Who is
Spliff?", "Mailbag", October 2).

If a Royal Commission on drugs were to recommend the legalisation of
so-called soft drugs like cannabis this would be great news to people like
Spliff who daub war memorials to heroes who fought and died for the right of
people like him to live in a free society.

If the Lib Dems are not inclined in favour of relaxation of cannabis, why
call for a debate? They would prefer to legalise a problem rather than stand
up and tackle it. By contrast the Conservative line on drugs is for tough
zero tolerance.

When you have lived in Birmingham, as I have, and seen children as young as
ten being offered cigarettes and spliffs by pushers in order to hook them on
to stronger drugs later on in life it is certainly an eye opener. Most
property and vehicle crime is drug related. Drugs destroy lives and
families; full stop.

This is a serious issue. Politicians of all parties should concentrate on
fighting drug abuse rather than promoting a culture of tolerance. If we
legalise cannabis what is next? Ecstasy?

When you have the Labour Party wanting to repeal Section 28 so that children
can be taught about homosexuality it is clear that, between them, Labour and
the Lib Dems want to turn our children into gay junkies.

If the people of Brighouse, Elland, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden are happy
for their children to smoke spliffs while watching "Beefcake" at the local
cinema then they know who to vote for.