HARM REDUCTION

Dear X-Press,

I am writing about on issue which I'm sure most of your readers will agree
on and that is the legalisation of drugs.

I am not on addict or a person who values drugs but a person who is
concerned about our current policy on drugs. The drugs which I will further
talk about are 'hard' drugs such as cocaine, heroine, speed and other
hallucinogens i.e. ecstasy.

By legalising drugs, we as a country, will immediately reduce crime by an
enormous amount. The cost of every true drug deal falls upon the public.
Muggings, cars broken into, houses burgled - if you have suffered, the odds
are that the goods you lost were used to pay for drugs.

At the moment an ounce of cocaine can fetch up to $2000 on the street
whereas it can be made in hospitals (or other controlled areas) for as
little as $2-4. By going into hospitals addicts can then enter some sort of
rehabilitation programme.

It is important to acknowledge that the reason we have so many addicts today
is because 'pushers' are doing their jobs so well; pushing drugs on to
people who otherwise would not likely use them. They glamorise drugs, give
them away for free, show people a good time and so hook a significant
percentage of their customers. Without financial incentives, pushers will be
a thing of the past.

Justin
Southlake