PROHIBITION WON'T WORK

The old "soft on drugs" arsenal has been dragged out of the war chest yet
again by Opposition Leader Colin Barnett for this election. How
predictable it is to target the fears and vulnerability of the electorate
to score cheap political mileage.

As much as i abhor drugs and the negative impact they have on society,
their use is simply a manifestation of the weaknesses of human nature. Put
simply, we had better come to terms with substance abuse because, like
prostitution, it just won't go away. It has been around for as long as
human civilisation and no amount of prohibition will deter society's
craving for drugs. Not even the deterrent effect of custodial, corporal or
capital punishment.

I live in a society where the effect of illicit drug use and the hypocrisy
of drug policies cause so much angst. Big sums of money profit the
demi-respectable organised crime gangs, while the flower of our youth
willingly consumes quantities of their product. The very same product
undergoes no quality assurance or control procedures. There are no recall
provisions of defective product nor any obligation to publish the product
constituents on its packaging. There are no manufacturing standards, no
controlled licensing arrangements.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in our thinking about drugs and drugs
policy. The US alcohol prohibition experiment of the 1920s triggered a
proliferation of clandestine alcohol production, resulting in the
ascendancy of the likes of Al Capone. Today, who buys bootleg
whisky? Does organised crime profit from alcohol racketeering? Education,
controlled supply, controlled legalisation and associated health management
must be a priority to address responsibly such a complex issue.

I ask Mr Barnett whether he would rather live in a society where drug
addiction is sustained by organised crime, or controlled and monitored by a
responsible and caring government.

Geoff Palmer

Dianella.