YET ANOTHER REASON TO LEGALISE DRUGS

This week's mass overdose on the drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) at
the Two Tribes rave event in Melbourne (The Age, 9/3) highlights the
need for a legal recreational drug industry, over and above that of
alcohol. As the medical drug industry shows, when standards are set
and quality regulated, the risks of drug-taking can be managed and
such disaster averted.

It is of the utmost importance that unbiased information, combined
with quality control, is applied to this large and inextinguishable
market. Under the present "tough on drugs" paradigm, this is impossible.

For example, the chemical GHB occurs naturally in the body and, by
itself, is almost innocuous. When combined with other sedative drugs,
however, such as alcohol, ketamine or heroin, it can be fatal. If
drug-takers knew this, as well as the strength, purity, and identity
of the anonymous pill they are taking, there would be no avoidable
overdoses.

Legalisation would not solve all problems, and it would create some of
its own. But as it stands, our harsh policies are permitting and
sanctioning grievous bodily harm by, and sending a very wrong message
about, drugs.

Michael Podger,
Mitcham