THIS IS YOUR BRAIN, ON

To the editor,

Like some other "inconvienient truths" out there, the "war on drugs"
has been a dismal failure. As Bruce Wark's editorial stated, increased
spending and tougher sentences have not reduced drug use. In fact, it
is increasing.

The results of this "war" include increasingly vicious criminal gang
activity, broken families and communities and wasting of justice
resources. Drug abuse, like alcoholism and prescription drug abuse, is
better dealt with as a health care issue. New approaches, including
addiction services, decriminalization and/or legalization are called
for if we are sincere about dealing with the problems of drug
addiction. Prohibition simply does not work.

Hopefully politicians in the next federal election will overwhelmingly
reject Bush and Harper's disastrous approach.

Michael Oddy

Halifax