Pubdate: Sat, 02 Sep 2006 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2006 Calgary Herald Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: Chris Buors Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) LEGALIZE METH Drugs - Re: "Saving landlords some grief," Editorial, Aug. 30. The U.S. is the worst example you could choose if illuminating ideas on what to do about the evils of crystal meth are the objective. The idea that self-medication would become a crime would have been laughable to our ancestors. Self-medication was considered a natural right by proponents such as Thomas Jefferson and later Mark Twain. Drug prohibition is the obvious cause of clandestine crystal meth labs. Breweries exist because there is a demand for beer; crystal meth labs exist for the same reason. All the demonization in the world did not stop the devil's drink and it won't stop demonic chemicals. To quit minding the neighbours' drug-taking business and to restore our natural right to drugs would go a lot further as a political policy to keep Canadian neighbourhoods safe from the menace of clandestine labs than any further steps down the police state road. Chris Buors, Winnipeg - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman