Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2006
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n248/a06.html
Author: Gillian Maxwell

ANSWER TO DRUG PROBLEM

Re your Feb. 27 editorial: "Crackdown on drugs by Vancouver police 
deserves full support."

The "fact" that drug consumption is the lifeblood of organized crime 
is due to the mistaken belief that prohibition is an effective way to stop it.

However, there is no more reason to believe that drug production and 
trafficking will be stopped by increased enforcement than there is to 
believe that drug use will be stopped by telling youth to "just say no."

It is time for governments to give up the war rhetoric and instead 
adopt proven public health measures to regulate, tax and control 
currently illegal drugs.

Gillian Maxwell,

Chair,

Keeping the Door Open: Dialogues on Drug Use
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman