Pubdate: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2007 The Calgary Sun Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1008/a08.html Author: Brian Purdy Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor. ENABLING ADDICTS MISGUIDED Usually I agree with Sun editorials, but not "Drug prohibition doesn't work" Aug. 28.). Jeremy Loome's call for legalization of hard drugs and continuation of the addict enabling program called "harm reduction" is misguided. Legalization means the government will become your heroin and cocaine dealer. It is not only an unseemly role for any government, it will inevitably corrupt government, which becomes addicted to the money to be made from the drug addicts it supplies. It will also greatly increase use of those drugs. Loome claims less than 2% of the population has a problem with hard drugs. I suggest that would become 10% or more if heroin and cocaine were freely available at your neighbourhood government cocaine store. The only way to cure a junkie is to separate him from the drugs. Jail does that, or it would if the jails were properly run. Enabling and encouraging addictive drug use is foolish and destructive. Brian Purdy (It's a controversial topic.) - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom