DRUG ISSUE MIXES UP MORALITY, ENFORCEMENT

Dear Editor:

The Mailbox and Opinion pages in your June 20 issue were fascinating
- -- three letters and Jerry Paradis' Bench Press devoted to illegal
drug issues. One letter opposed drug legalization, the other two
letters and Jerry Paradis argued for changes in dealing with drug
issues. I wonder if this proportion is representative of society in
general which seems to be becoming much more tolerant and supportive
of change.

Billions of dollars flow through the drug trade with the profits
accruing to organized and unorganized crime. Billions more are spent
on various levels of enforcement. My frustration as a taxpayer is that
I help fund all this and receive no demonstrable benefits in return. I
would love to see my tax dollars going to something useful like, well,
dealing with the effects of drugs -- but in a decriminalized
environment. We do that currently with alcohol and tobacco, arguably
two worse drugs than the many currently illegal ones.

The war on tobacco in particular has had a spectacular
success.

Like so many other issues, we have mixed up morality with enforcement.
And on a practical level, how can demand for drugs ever be reduced
while there is a multi-billion dollar illegal and uncontrolled sales
force promoting and benefiting from drug use?

I look forward to more discussion in your pages.

DON FRANCIS

West Vancouver