Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2011
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Robert Sharpe

FRUSTRATE PUSHERS

Regarding Jon Ferry’s July 29 column, there is a middle ground between
drug prohibition and blanket legalization.

Switzerland’s heroin maintenance program has been shown to reduce
disease, death and crime among chronic addicts. The Swiss program has
inspired heroin maintenance pilot projects in Canada, Germany, Spain,
Denmark and the Netherlands.

If expanded, prescription heroin maintenance would deprive organized
crime of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin
trafficking unprofitable and spare future generations addiction.

Marijuana should be taxed and regulated like alcohol, only without the
ubiquitous advertising.

Robert Sharpe,

Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.