Pubdate: Sat, 19 May 2001
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2001 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Neil MacNaughton

DOWNEY'S PROBLEM IS CHOICE OF DRUGS

I write regarding Brad Oswald's article, Why I can't watch Ally McBeal
anymore, (May 14). Although I join in his lament of the downfall of
the man, Robert Downey Jr., and the show, Ally McBeal, I feel it
necessary to make an observation about such cases that isn't often
enough considered:

If the drugs were legal, there would be no problem. Here we have a man
with a tremendous talent. He is a star and deservedly so. (Check out
his skills in Chaplin, if you need confirmation.) This man also
happens to use drugs. There's nothing peculiar about that. I use drugs
too -- caffeine, alcohol, aspirin, cough syrup, allergy pills, and so
on. The only difference is that, for reasons of politics, the drugs I
use are legal and the ones Mr. Downey uses are not.

Why? Because our government has decided that, in certain cases,
citizens are not capable of making informed decisions for themselves.
I say "our government" because, with regard to drug law, the Canadian
and U.S. governments are largely interchangeable.

Is it possible that one day we will have a government that will allow
the individual to decide which drugs they would like to use and in
what manner? I hope so.

Neil Macnaughton, Oakville, Ont.
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