DANGERS KNOWN FOR CENTURIES

Letter writer Nicholas Ermeta ought to consider that there is a political
movement know as classic liberalism or libertarianism that believes all
drugs ought to be available in the competitive marketplace. Milton Friedman
and Doctor Thomas Szasz have written extensively on the issue and make the
case building on the idea of individual responsibility as expounded by the
likes of Aristotle and Thomas Jefferson.

Ermeta errs telling us the dangers of smoking were not known in the 1930s.
The dangers have been well documented since Sir Walter Raleigh introduced
the habit to Europeans hundreds of years ago. I would suggest to Ermeta
that a moral crisis exists in Canada because we were not wise enough to put
drug prohibition to the four cardinal virtues test of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Prudence, tolerance, justice and fortitude are those cardinal virtues and
drug prohibition fails on every count.

Chris Buors

Winnipeg