Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jun 2010
Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 Quesnel Cariboo Observer
Contact:  http://www.quesnelobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1260
Author: Damon Faulker

SOLVING THE WAR ON DRUGS

It's reached the point in my almost seventeen years of life where 
almost everything around me fills my heart and soul with utter apathy.

Seriously. I really can't be bothered to get emotional over the Gulf 
of Mexico because there's nothing I can do about it (and because 
nature will endure, as nature has been doing for millions of years.)

And Afghanistan? That's just something to ponder in between 
Apocalyptica and Judas Priest. Another eye-rolling old story to me is 
"the war on drugs."

Coming from someone who's been watching from afar for a while now, I 
have a suggestion: Why not legalize the stuff? ?Now I know what your 
thinking: "legalize the stuff? Has he gone stark raving mad?"

Cool it and hear me out. The sad reality of the matter is that no 
matter how devoted our police force is, no matter how much drugs are 
seized, there will always be an ample supply to replace them.

No matter how many people related to the drug trade are arrested, 
there will always be more to take their places.

So why not stab the drug trade right where it hurts by legalizing all 
this stuff? We'd create safe facilities for paid government employees 
to make and sell the stuff. And the delicious sugary icing to top 
this idea off is that we could give the addicts a clean and safe 
environment to purchase and use the drugs. Our provincial government 
(and government in general I guess) just has to stop wasting their 
money on stupid crap like Olympics and Gordon Campbell just has to 
step down from power.

I think under these conditions, we could make my vision of legal 
drugs a reality.?Now obviously there's a massive ethical issue with 
this as well. A lot of people are sure to find the idea of making 
meth, cocaine, heroin etc. available and legal to the public 
absolutely repugnant.

Okay yeah, improving availability could spike the number of drug 
users in Canada, but we as a society can't be accountable for the 
actions of individuals.

If people are going to try drugs then we should at least give them a 
clean safe environment to do it in.

I'm in no way trying to condone the use of drugs, but so long as 
they're here and not going away, we might as well try to minimize the hazard.

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Damon Faulker is the Observer's student columnist.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart