ARTICLE ENCOURAGED STATUS QUO DRUG LAWS

Regarding the article "Police bust pot and magic mushroom operation,"
(Esquimalt News, February 25): Do you realize what you're doing?

You couldn't be any more supportive of Big Government as it tries to stamp
out any semblance of freedom among its citizens unless you had also provided
donuts for those brave boys in blue who wasted a day or so seizing plants
instead of protecting the public from real criminals. My research suggests,
drug prohibition was initiated during the first half of the 20th century as
a means of harassing and "controlling" blacks (marijuana) and Chinese
(opium). In these supposedly more tolerant times, the most enthusiastic
supporters of that legislation are the police who are eager to make use of
these laws to harass and control those whose appearance or lifestyle offends
them and politicians who lean on them to garner votes for being "tough on
drugs."

Naturally, the police try to avoid arresting the offspring of influential
individuals like politicians or newspaper editors.

Describing drug busts and their aftermath as if such police actions were
normal and acceptable only lends support to drug prohibition. Suppressing
the voices of those punished, their families and friends as well as those of
us who oppose these ridiculous laws naturally serves to further dampen any
protest.

It's time to finish the job we started when we ended alcohol prohibition and
end the prohibition of all drugs. And it's long past time that newspapers
such as yours begin to serve the public rather than our venal politicians
and cops.

Alan Randell
Knutsford Place