Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2014
Source: Southland Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.southlandtimes.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1041
Author: Hamish Sutherland
Page: 6

THE RAGING WAR ON DRUGS

The letter to this and other newspapers from Robert Sharpe of 
Washington lobby group Common Sense for Drug Policy makes the 
standard tired reference to a mythical "war on drugs".

No such war has ever launched.

What we've had is a war on the bulk supply of drugs to the lower 
classes coupled with tolerance to personal demand for drugs from the 
middle class.

It's the same double standard now embodied in calls for minimum 
alcohol pricing.

A beautiful illustration of our feigning drug war is documented in 
the extras of the film City of God when an honest Rio police chief 
starts winning the drug war in the favelas but loses it in the dinner 
parties when his peers can no longer procure their little indulgence.

When a society decides to wage a sincere war on drugs it will be a rout.

Mr Sharpe also labours the comparison with the harmful effects of 
alcohol abuse while ignoring the health benefits of moderate drinking.

His silliest point is to distinguish between natural and synthetic 
cannabis (as if "natural" drugs, like tobacco, can't be harmful).

How long will it take after "natural" cannabis is legalised before 
the (genetically engineered) legal strain makes one American 
corporation the global dope monopoly?

Legalisation is simply the creation of the perfect corporate gang.

What is certain is that cannabis legalisation must make great common 
sense to tobacco companies seeing an opportunity to continue business 
as usual by replacing a carcinogenic drug with a carcinogenic and 
brain damaging one.

HAMISH SUTHERLAND Gore
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom