Pubdate: Fri, 19 Aug 2005
Source: Cayman Net News (Cayman Islands)
Copyright: 2005 Cayman Net Ltd
Contact:  http://www.caymannetnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3700
Author: A.V. Wosendircht
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1279.a07.html and
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1341.a06.html

CONTROLLING DRUGS NOT SUCH A BAD IDEA

Dear Sir,

I have read with interest recently some correspondence on your letters
page regarding the legalisation of drugs. I have many friends living
in the Cayman Islands and I have had the privilege of visiting the
country on numerous occasions and find it very beautiful. Yet the
crime, which you now seem to be experiencing, looks to me very much as
though it is drug related.

I live in Amsterdam and can confirm what one of your correspondents
said, that we have a much lower crime rate than the United States and
I believe Amsterdam is one of the safest cities in the world, even
though the use of certain drugs for personal use is permitted.

Law enforcement is much more concerned with the larger production and
distribution of so called hard drugs than it is with individual's
personal use.

In reality however, the Netherlands is still a long way from complete
legalisation and the removal of these dangerous substances from the
criminals into the hands of governments, which was the point made by
another of your correspondents and one I believe address the problem
from a global perspective.

The drug trade is an international trade consequently the world needs
an international solution. All over the world, law enforcement is
losing the fight with the drug dealers and the trade and all of its
associated ills are increasingly damaging societies.

All drugs are bad, but the world's decision to legalise some i.e.
tobacco and alcohol, but not others is hypocritical at best and
extremely dangerous as we see at worst. The movement to completely
re-think the drugs trade from a new perspective, which considers the
possibility of government's controlling the production and sale of all
illegal substances, has increasing merit, in particular in Europe.

It is refreshing to see the discussion and debate spread. I hope more
correspondents will throw their weight behind these ideas and move the
debate from the pages of the world's media to the political halls of
power.

A.V. Wosendircht
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin