TOBACCO, CAFFEINE, BOOZE ARE THE HARD DRUGS

In his editorial "And out of the blue, predictions from a millenium year
times two," Const. Mark Tonner expressed some ideas that I have entertained
myself having training and experience as a pharmacist in the United States.

Tonner wrote: "While the loudest of them are out of the country, the quiet
majority will take a day or three to solve our street drug problem.

"The north side of the 100-block East Hastings will be levelled to make
room for a mammoth drug treatment centre. Inside, qualifying addicts will
have access to any drug they want - cocaine, heroin, ecstasy or model
airplane glue...The catch is that once they're approved for the free dope
program they can't leave.

"They'll be well fed, clothed and housed. Doctors will be on hand to bring
them back from the inevitable overdoses, to patch them up from the
inevitable self-attacks.

"Should they ever tire of their near death narcotic states, they can enter
the east wing: a state-of-the-art detox and rehabilitation facility. There,
they'll be cleaned up, counselled and set loose for a try at drug-free
living in the real world."

This could be a really great idea if it was an honest and consistent idea.
That is, the dope Tonner refers to needs to include tobacco, alcohol, and
coffee.

Imagine, no tobacco, alcohol, or coffee abusers in the real world.

All the druggies would be removed from good, decent people and ensconced
inside their "mammoth drug treatment centre" where they could smoke or
drink themselves into oblivion!

Is he on to a really smashing idea?

Oh, I would appreciate a response to the following two questions:

1) how is the public health, safety, and welfare served by drug law
exemptions of the hard drugs - tobacco and alcohol - from the Controlled
Substances Act?

2) What is the rational basis for the drug law exemptions of the big three
legally sanctioned hard drugs?

Just like the U.S., I am sure that Canada has dishonestly and
hyprocritically exempted alcohol and tobacco from Canadian drugs laws.

Otherwise, this deadly duo would be treated under Canadian law just like
their pharmacologically similar, but less harmful cousins - coca and opium
- - and drug abusers who possess a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of beer
would be busted and thrown into prison where they belong.

After all, what scientific or medical uses are there for cigarettes,
alcohol or caffeine. Do doctors prescribe and do pharmacists fill,
prescriptions for tobacco, alcohol, or coffee for scientific or medical uses?

Please answer the questions in relation to Canada's dishonest, hypocritical
unjust irrational, arbitrary, unworkable, violent, harm-causing drug laws.

Tom Barrus,
Golden, Colorado