Pubdate: Wed, 11 Jan 2006
Source: North Shore News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 North Shore News
Contact:  http://www.nsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311
Author: Gillian Maxwell

PROHIBITION AND PRISON FOR ADDICTION SENSELESS

Dear Editor:

The illogic of Wallace Craig's Dec. 14 diatribe against drug policy, 
Drug Regulation Is a Slippery Slope to Hell, reform becomes apparent 
when his arguments are applied to tobacco and alcohol.

If prohibition really worked, then those two substances - which cause 
by far the greatest burden of illness from drug use - should be prohibited.

However, the failures of prohibition of alcohol - violence, 
corruption, organized crime - are readily apparent to those willing 
to learn from history. And how many tobacco smokers would agree to 
spending time in prison for their failure to overcome their addiction?

By the same token, allowing corporations to profit by heavily 
marketing and promoting the consumption of these or any other drug is 
also a tragic mistake.

The Health Officers Council of British Columbia offers a balanced and 
realistic response to the intractable reality of drug use in our 
society. Your readers can decide for themselves by reading the report 
at www.cfdp.ca/bchoc.pdf.

Gillian Maxwell, chairwoman

Keeping the Door Open: Dialogues on Drug Use

Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman