GOVERNMENT MYTHS ABOUT DRUGS HAVE BEEN ABSURD

The Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth says many young people get their
information about illegal drugs from friends, drug dealers or urban myths
(Teenagers targeted in drugs crackdown, December 27). The prime reason for
this is that for over a half-century, government and prohibitionist myths
about drugs have been so absurd that any alternative has seemed believable.

Millions smoke cannabis because it is enjoyable, or medically, socially or
artistically useful, and yet the government insists that such people should
be "brought to justice" in one way or another. It seems the urban myth that
cannabis is totally harmless is far more innocuous than the government myth
that prohibition is a logical or effective response to its popularity.

Peter Webster Review editor, International Journal of Drug Policy
vignes@monaco.mc