POOR PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A COPYRIGHT ON DRUG USE

The last thing said in "Researcher condemns Harper's war on drugs"
[September 18-25] is "To Alexander, the political solutions to the
drug crisis are obvious. Build housing that people can afford. Fund
schools and health care. Settle Native land claims. Make quality of
life a top priority, and support citizens to easily create stable
lives. Then drugs will become irrelevant."

Come on, you can't be serious.

It appears SFU's professor emeritus, Bruce Alexander, isn't aware of
all the rich people, and those who are relatively well-off, with roofs
over their heads and good-paying jobs who get off on drugs.

Drugs cut all boundaries in all societies, not just capitalist ones.
The fundamental problem of drug addiction is found in one thing only,
and this is the only thing that is clear about the whole issue: it
comes down to the moral fibre of a single individual, regardless of
political, economic, or social background or standing. To overlook
this and declare that drugs are a social, economic, or political issue
overlooks that the choice to either use or not use drugs lies with the
individual, and the individual alone. We can all either act in one of
two ways: a way that benefits us, or one that harms us. And you don't
need a university education to understand this.

Ray Liikanen

New Westminster