Pubdate: Mon, 03 Feb 1997
Source: Wellington Dominion (NZ)
Author: David Hadorn M.D.

Sir,

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who noticed the ironical juxtaposition of
your January 22 articles concerning the cannabis seizure in Blenheim and
the quaint era of alcohol prohibition in Southland.

   Is there any doubt that someday an article will appear in The Dominion
concerning the "bad old days" of cannabis prohibition?

The story on Southland's prohibition era notes: "Many otherwise law-abiding
folk refused to obey the no-drinking law, and clandestine distilling reached
its peak."  Sound familiar?

Why is it so hard for some people, editors included, to understand that
cannabis prohibition is just as misguided, counterproductive, and doomed to
fail as alcohol prohibition?  Why is it so easy for these same people to
tolerate the hypocrisy inherent in treating cannabis users as criminals
when alcohol and tobacco cause most of our drug-related social problems?

With its reputation for practicality and social innovation, New Zealand
should be leading the world in adopting enlighted drug policies.

By clinging instead to Dark-Ages cannabis prohibition laws, our otherwise
enlightened society remains in the backwater in this area.

David Hadorn, MD