Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 1998
Source: Toronto Star (Canada) 
Contact:  
Website: http://www.thestar.ca 

THERE'S NO LOGIC TO BAN ON DRUGS

As usual, Dalton Camp is only partially right.

His July 12 Opinion page column, time to rethink the war on pot, contains a
lot of useful information about the shameful, racist origins of drug
prohibition and the relative safety of marijuana, but neglects to tell us
that the harm done to users who ingest a particular substance is totally
irrelevant to whether or not the government should be granted the authority
to prohibit it.

Alcohol is harmful, but legal. Tobacco is harmful, but legal. Fatty foods
are harmful, but legal. Coffee is harmful, but legal. Rat poison is harmful,
but legal.

So where is the logic for prohibiting any drug? Suicide is harmful, but legal.

If tobacco users can purchase their drug of choice relatively cheaply at the
corner store, why shouldn't the currently persecuted users of heroin and
cocaine be granted that same right?

ALAN RANDELL Victoria, B.C.

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Checked-by: Melodi Cornett