ILLEGAL DRUGS

Congratulations and thanks for the editorial about illegal drugs (The
Examiner, Nov 30). Not only have hundreds of millions of dollars been spent
trying to stop the sale of these drugs, but the dealers have also managed
to corrupt some police and others in the legal system. At the same time,
drugs have become much cheaper and the amount of crime (to finance drug
purchases) has grown vastly.

About one Australian a week dies from a drug overdose. If these drugs were
legalised for Australian citizens, not only could their quality be
guaranteed and the number of deaths be reduced, but the Government could
impose taxes (of perhaps billions of dollars a year, as it does on tobacco
and alcohol). At the same time, this would wipe out the illegal drug trade
and its resulting crime and also save the large amounts of money at present
being spent on the war against drugs.

Perhaps I should state that I have never wished to sample those drugs and
rarely drink alcohol, but I was addicted to nicotine for over 40 years
until 1995.

- -A. G. HAIGH, Beaconsfield.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson