Pubdate: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: David George Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) AMERICAN OFFERS US DRUG ADVICE To the editor: "Law-abiding" citizens like letter writer Ian Forsyth are indeed responsible for the crimes carried out by addicts-turned-criminals, since these law-abiding citizens abide unjust laws and do not bother to think about the causes of the crimes they suffer ("Law-abiding citizens not to blame for junkies' life choices," Letters, Dec. 22). In this case, prohibition of heroin is the true crime. A legally available source of heroin for addicts would reduce the price of heroin, which is the immediate cause of the crime carried out by addicts who must buy heroin on the black market in order to avoid its withdrawal symptoms. A drop in the heroin price to about 1/30th of its current black market price would eliminate the need for addicts to commit crimes. Of course, creating a legal supply of heroin for addicts would require law-abiding citizens to recognize that addiction itself is not a crime, but a human condition. As for poor lifestyle choices, is Canadian society as a whole making a good lifestyle choice by creating a crime where none exists, thus encouraging the creation of a police state? David George Bellingham, Washington - ---