Pubdate: Tue, 25 Aug 2015
Source: Irish Independent (Ireland)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd
Contact:  http://www.independent.ie/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/213
Author: Shane Quinn
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n475/a09.html

DECRIMINALISING DRUGS

Regarding Jillian Godsil's article about the alleged War on Drugs ( 
Irish Independent, August 21), apparently it is over. When was it 
ever happening? So ferocious has the State's war on drugs been that 
drugs are bought and consumed with gay abandon. There has been de 
facto decriminalisation of drugs in this country since the Misuse of 
Drugs Act 1977, so closely modelled on the UK's equivalent Act of 1971.

Ms Godsil knows perfectly well that people who have lung cancer 
cannot choose to stop having lung cancer. People who take drugs can 
and do choose to stop. Ms Godsil admits that she smoked cigarettes 
for 20 years. If her "addiction" was incapable of being defeated 
then, surely she could never have stopped? But she did. She chose to stop.

I must agree that cigarettes would never be permitted to enter the 
market had they been invented today. I suspect alcohol would be 
viewed similarly.

Both of these drugs cause enormous damage in our society. Quite how 
the existence of two destructive drugs is an argument for legalising 
a third or a fourth, I am very unsure.

Curiously, the ill-effects of the banned drugs is never discussed. 
Cannabis (supposedly a 'soft' drug) has been linked to lower IQ. 
Further, it has been linked to erratic and violent behaviour: "Those 
whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad."

Indeed. As we stupefy ourselves we turn our backs on all in need of 
our help in this world, and we ignore what is wrong and selfishly 
pursue our own pleasures. What sort of a society wants that?

Finally, I must ask who it is that will benefit from legalising 
drugs. The commercial sale of these drugs will no doubt be carried 
out by the same kinds of big, international companies that we 
distrust with hamburgers and fizzy drinks. Why would we trust them 
with mindaltering substances?

Shane Quinn

Marino, Dublin 3
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