Pubdate: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2012 The Edmonton Journal Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: William Perry Page A11 'NANNIES' WAGE WAR ON DRUGS The federal government loves its hobby programs, especially anything promoting its punitive approach. The expansion of power is facilitated by the war on "fill in the blank," whereby citizens paralyzed with fear, as propagated by would-be federal saviours, clamour for protection. In the past century alone, we have had, at a minimum, wars on cancer, crime, poverty and terror. After more than 40 years of the war on drugs, an endless list of individuals have been jailed for possessing drugs deemed illegal by government. The involvement of "nannies" Stephen Harper and Vic Toews has led many parents to abdicate their own responsibilities to the Conservative government for regulation and enforcement. The burden of these activities must be returned to individuals so they can suffer the consequences. Drastic steps need to be taken to diminish the police state we live in and ease the burden on taxpayers. Instead of more prisons, restore individual liberties and control. Controlled substances - especially marijuana - should be decriminalized. And public funds should be directed away from more police and prisons and reinvested in attacking the root problems. These steps would do far more to end the drug problem than any law, bureaucrat or multibillion dollar program could ever dream of doing. William Perry, Victoria, B.C - --- MAP posted-by: Matt