Police and drugs

How ironic that Police Association president Greg O'Connor would complain
that the Bill of Rights "hamstrings police powers" while innocent
party-goers are being lined up and searched (many strip-searched) for
drugs, based on the false tip of an undercover cop (May 19). Perhaps a
little more hamstringing is in order!

New Zealand already has too few police to deal with its violent crimes and
burglaries, and officers are leaving the force in droves. Can police
officials and the Minister of Police justify devoting so much time, effort,
and money to drug law enforcement?

Moreover, as noted by the recent Wood Royal Commission in Australia, drug
prohibition inevitably produces police corruption. Why are we not learning
from others' mistakes?

Across the page we read that four more students were suspended because one
of them brought a single cannabis cigarette to school. This sort of
damaging over-reaction to adolescent behaviour further alienates young people.

It's time to call off the war on drugs. Regulation and control of drugs,
together with realistic education and effective treatment, will produce far
less harm to individuals and to society than antiquated, police-based
prohibitions laws.

David Hadorn, MD