Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jul 2005
Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2005 Allied Press Limited
Contact:  http://www.odt.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925
Author: S. Murray
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1054/a03.html?91622
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?233 (LEAP)

CANNABIS

L.H. Weston (30.5.05) claims that "legislation undoubtedly greatly reduces 
the availability of drugs to our youth". What evidence is there of this? 
All the studies I have seen show otherwise, including the recent release of 
a Christchurch School of Medicine study which indicated that about 80% of 
people had used cannabis by the time they were 28.

Prohibition has never worked, not for alcohol and definitely not for other 
drugs. When are we going to take our head out of the sand and implement 
legislation which actually protects our young people and vulnerable groups 
from harm? When are we going to take the control of drugs out of the hands 
of organised crime?

L.H. Weston needs to read more widely if he thinks The Great Brain Robbery 
has anything useful to offer in this debate. "Law Enforcement Against 
Prohibition" is a good place to start (http://www.leap.cc/) or "Educators 
for Sensible Drug Policy" (http://efsdp.org/canada/).

S. MURRAY

Forbury
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom