Pubdate: Fri, 07 Mar 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Dr. Victor Daveikis

A WASTEFUL WAR ON DRUGS

Re: The Cost of Getting High, Tony Clement, March 6.

What a waste for the federal government to spend $63.8-million in for 
a National Anti-Drug Strategy? We may as well flush it down the 
nearest toilet. What exactly is in this "strategy" that has not been 
tried already and failed miserably? As Health Minister Tony Clement 
should be well aware, the health and material costs to society from 
alcohol and tobacco far outweigh all other illegal drugs combined.

This column is a perfect example of government scare tactics, 
misinformation and abuse of taxpayers' money. Contrary to the 
Minister's suggestion that drug use is "a decision to put at risk the 
opportunity to build the happy, prosperous life that Canada can offer 
them," I counter that no person is guaranteed anything in this life 
but death and taxes, and suggesting that experimenting with drugs 
leads to a life of misery goes against the life experiences of 
countless successful individuals.

Just ask Andre Boisclair how his cocaine use prevented him from 
becoming the leader of the PQ, or if Bill Clinton had a hard time 
becoming Commander-in-Chief because he "didn't inhale." This 
misguided attempt to control illicit drug use is nothing more than 
the 21st-century version of Reefer Madness, and it reflects poorly on 
the so-called "brains" behind the Conservative Party of Canada.

Dr. Victor Daveikis, Waterloo, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom