Pubdate: Mon, 03 May 2010
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2010 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/O3vnWIvC
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: C. Gwendolyn Landolt
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n318/a04.html

GIVE ADDICTS HOPE, NOT DRUGS

Re: Conservatives Should Get Weak On Drugs, Evan Wood, April 26.

Evan Wood appears to overlook the reality of the drug problem. He 
asserts that prohibitions against the nonmedical use of drugs are 
futile and only increase crime and violence. This has not been the 
experience of other countries such as Sweden. According to a 2006 
report of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, Sweden has among Europe's 
lowest rates of crime, disease, medical and social problems stemming 
from drug addiction. This is due to the fact that Sweden employs a 
program of compulsory drug treatment for addicts. This success is 
similar to that achieved by drug courts in Canada. These courts 
ensure that addicts undergo treatment and rehabilitation as an 
alternative to a conviction and court record.

Giving an addict hope, rather than the despair offered by liberalized 
drug laws, is a far more humane and civilized approach to addiction. 
That is, instead of allowing the addict to deepen his/her addiction 
which leads to his inevitable and unenviable death, the addict is 
given an opportunity to regain health and well-being by being rid of 
the terrors of addiction.

C. Gwendolyn Landolt,

Drug Prevention Network of Canada, Richmond Hill, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart