Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2002
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Alan Randell

DRUG LAWS OUTDATED

Editor:

I am writing regarding your Dec. 28 story, headlined Police find pot. Our 
drug laws make no sense whatsoever.

If drugs are banned because they are harmful, why don't we ban alcohol and 
tobacco? If drugs are banned because they may induce the user to harm 
others, why don't we ban alcohol?

No, there is no more reason to punish drug users and dealers today than 
there was in the past to hang witches, lynch blacks or gas Jews. Drug 
prohibition is nothing less than a state-sanctioned, Hitler-like program 
designed to divert our attention from more important issues by ruining the 
lives of the innocent few who happen to enjoy certain drugs. The sooner 
newspapers, such as yours, begin to recognize this fact, the sooner this 
appalling program can be ended.

I suppose in simply reporting what the police are doing to us, without 
allowing any discussion on whether the laws they are enforcing are just or 
effective, you are merely following a long line of morally challenged 
headline writers from the past.

Alan Randell
Victoria
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart