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