ONCE again our Prime Minister shows his lack of intellectual depth and
failure to understand the myriad complex issues surrounding
Australia's drug "problem" by his suggestion that Australia adopt a
zero-tolerance approach to drug use. Drug prohibition has been an
abject failure, as prohibition usually is. Over the span of human
civilisation, there have been laws enacted against things such as
prostitution, abortion, homosexuality, gambling, etc, and they are
still with us. The abject failure of the (alcohol) Prohibition era in
America is a prime case at point: all it achieved was another source
of income for organised (and disorganised) crime to supplement their
other vice income.

Once alcohol was again legal, crime switched to the newly illegal
substances, drugs, for income.

America now has the highest level of incarceration of any democracy in
the world; the fastest-growing area of construction is that of new
prisons; it has the highest level of HIV and hepatitis-C infected
injecting drug users in the world; teen and pre-teen hoodlums spraying
rivals and innocent bystanders with automatic weapons fire is an
everyday occurrence in cities and towns, large and small, across the
nation.

Is this the vision John Howard has for Australia? Drug addiction
should be viewed a medical problem.

The biggest drug "problem" lies in the illegality of their
use.

PAUL McELLIGOTT
Aranda