RE EDITORIAL: ILLEGAL DRUGS POSE REAL THREAT

Editor;

Junk food will kill many times more Canadians this year than all
illegal drugs combined.

Drugs aren't the problem. Drugs do not possess magical powers that
force people to do things.

It is our ridiculous, racist, arbitrary and wildly counterproductive
prohibition laws causing the problems. And that is not an 'opinion',
as this article was; it is backed by a century of science, history and
common sense.

We live in a culture that glamorizes sex, fun, danger, thrills, law
scoffing, risk-taking, rule breaking, power, wealth-acquisition and
authority resisting. We advertise booze, fast cars, fast food, violent
movies and video games and drugs of all kinds right on TV.

Then we tell kids 'drugs are bad'. Does anyone still believe kids
don't notice this wild hypocrisy? A ruse by any other name ...

There is also a misconception in our society that suggests only
drug-abstinence is to be encouraged and admired. Humans have used
drugs longer than we have been using language, and drug use is
implicated in the creation of all of the world's major religions.

We should not be trying to 'prevent' drug use, we should be trying to
maximize the benefits while mitigating the dangers and bamboozling
kids with fear mongering, misinformation and balderdash is not going
to help.

Telling kids to 'never' use certain drugs is like telling them to
never see a certain genre of movie, never go to an amusement park or
exotic country, or never do anything at all that may be both risky and
fun.

It teaches them to be afraid of new things, instead of curious, and as
history has shown, fortune favours the adventurous.

Sensible, moderate, well-informed drug use is no more harmful,
dangerous, or immoral than any one of dozens of other activities
humans participate in every day. And if you think 'drugs' have nothing
good to offer society, then throw away every CD you own.

For those keen on teaching kids about drugs without all the hyperbole,
spin, sloganeering and bald-faced lies of the standard 'education'
programs, I recommend the Canadian Students For Sensible Drug Policy,
the Educators For Sensible Drug Policy or the Law Enforcement Against
Prohibition websites.

Russell Barth

Nepean, Ontario

Federally Licensed Medical Marijuana User

Drug Reform Analyst and Consultant

Educators for Sensible Drug Policy