Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2006 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: George T. H. Fuller Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) READERS URGE FORWARD-THINKING SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF DRUG ABUSE It appears Chief Superintendent Derek Ogden has learned nothing from the failed drug policies that Canada and the U.S. have pursued for more than half a century. Billions of dollars have been spent, leaving us with an illegal international trade in drugs, extensive criminal activity and lost lives. This war has been lost. Are we the last to learn from our failed policies? It is time to cooperate with some of our European friends by rejecting the purely punitive approach, and experimenting with a legalized distribution system. There will always be people pursuing mind-altering drugs. The failure of Prohibition to stop alcohol use should be a lesson to us. Take the profit out of the sale of drugs, and distribute them legally. The cost of doing otherwise is too great. We will always have criminals, but the incentive will be far less when the profits are substantially less. We need new strategies, not the same failed policies. The cost in lost lives and criminal activity is just too great. George T. H. Fuller Vancouver - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman