Pubdate: Fri, 04 May 2001
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2001 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.canoe.ca/WinnipegSun/home.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Dean Fournier
Note: Parethetical remark by the Sun editor

ECSTACY NOT THE PROBLEM

John Hayes implies in his April 30 letter that Ecstasy causes a large 
number of people to die from liver disease. Ecstasy in recreational doses 
does not harm the liver.  Any doctor will tell you alcohol is the drug that 
does the most harm to the liver.

Tobacco kills 40,000 Canadians a year, alcohol kills 15,000. Ecstasy has 
killed, at most, a few dozen Canadians, mostly from overheating from 
dancing at raves.  These deaths were likely preventable with accurate drug 
education, but the government would rather sacrifice these kids' lives so 
it can say Ecstasy is "dangerous."

Like the bathtub gin that blinded so may during alcohol prohibition, impure 
recreational drugs will continue to kill as long as governments leave the 
market wide open to unscrupulous criminals rather than regulate and tax 
them like alcohol.

Dean Fournier
Ottawa

(The one thing you've said that makes sense is that we need more accurate 
drug education.)
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MAP posted-by: Beth