Pubdate: Thu, 12 Oct 2000
Source: Evening Courier (UK)
Copyright: 2000 The Halifax Courier Ltd.
Contact:  Mailbag, PO Box 19, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 2SF, England
Fax: +44-(0)1422-260341
Website: http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/
Author:  Robert Sykes

WE CAN'T LEGALISE DRUGS

WHAT will they think of us in the future, injecting ourselves with 
mind-controlling drugs to escape reality?  I can understand, in a war zone, 
with killing all around, the need to escape reality but Britain is not a 
war zone.

Admittedly it is depressing at times but life is all about taking the rough 
with the smooth.  It's certainly rough in Calderdale.

In 1962 the Samaritans opened a new centre in Halifax because this area had 
one of the highest rates of suicides in the country and I think I am right 
in saying that, 38 years later, the year 2000, Calderdale still has one of 
the highest suicide rates in the country.

So maybe it's a good place to begin thinking of the future.  In 100 or 200 
years from now they might say was life so bad that they needed these fixes.

I believe the suicide rate will continue to increase along with drug taking 
that distorts the mind.  Even if it doesn't lead to suicide it causes 
untold damage in many areas.

We can't legalise drugs because we can't make matters worse.  Let's think 
of the future because we owe it to so many who have given their lives in 
the past.

Robert Sykes
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