Pubdate: Sat, 19 Jun 1999
Source: Bundaberg News Mail (Australia)
Contact:  Spencer Gear

LEGALISING DRUGS WON'T FIX PROBLEM

SO the problem with heroin is its illicitness (being illegal), according to
Dieter Moeckel (June 11).

Try telling that to the heroin addict who has just given birth to a
heroin-addicted baby who is going through the excruciating pain of
withdrawal.

Mr Moeckel tries to delude us into believing that marijuana is "less harmful
than either tobacco or alcohol".

Not according to Dr Donald's research at the University of California. He
found marijuana had four times the cancer causing potential of tobacco.

Cancers of the mouth and tongue have been found in young users of marijuana
who had not smoked nicotine and only used a small amount of alcohol.

Dr Martin Strahan, secretary of the Bundaberg and District Local Medical
Association, wrote to this paper (April 1998) of the "contribution of
cannabis use to personality disturbance and psychotic illness".

He estimated two to three admissions to the local Mental Health Unit a week,
resulting from cannabis use.

But Mr Moeckel refuses to listen to the research and clinical evidence.
Seems to me he is an apologist for drugs.

He continues with the tired old line that prohibition has never worked and
will never work.

Try that reasoning with crime. In spite of its prohibition, it continues. Do
we give up? Never.

The way to deal with this drug epidemic is through more border protection,
keeping penal legislation tough, prevention through education, care,
treatment and disrupting street trading.

But life has to be worth living. That's a tall order for a radically secular
culture like Australia's.

Away with this illogical nonsense that says that the problem with drugs is
their being illegal.

SPENCER GEAR Bundaberg

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