PROHIBITION DOESN'T WORK TO STOP UNWANTED DRUGS

The SP deserves thanks for the recent series on the ravages of
crystal methamphetamine. As well as dramatically stating why meth is
dangerous, you also showed what a failure prohibition has been in
attempting to eradicate the use of this drug.

Instead of protecting anyone, prohibition has allowed the
distribution of the drug to grow while its price is falling.
Furthermore, the deaths you reported had to do with impurities and
unknown drug strength -- unfortunate circumstances that would not
happen if a pure, legal supply were available to those unfortunates
who feel they must use it.

Drug policy reform is often referred to as "harm reduction," because
prohibition magnifies the harms associated with drug use. At the very
least, through drug legalization we can prevent the crime, disease
and death caused by prohibition.

The most startling aspect of prohibition is the fact that our rates
of drug use -- including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and crystal meth
- -- are more than would be the case if these drugs were legal. Not
only does prohibition magnify the harms to the individual user, it
also magnifies the harm to society.

The more effective way to control drug use is through societal
disapproval. If drugs were not cool, kids would not use them. If drug
use were not driven underground, then family and friends would know
sooner what was going on.

The more effective way to reduce the harm to someone caught in a drug
addiction is to provide addiction services to anyone willing to
accept them, not to put the user in jail.

Feeling righteous about the war on drugs is not enough: the time has
come to act sensibly and compassionately. Legalization combined with
education and addiction services are the most effective way to combat
our terrible problems.

Ken Sailor

Saskatoon