Pubdate: Thu, 13 Oct 2005
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 The Windsor Star
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Chris Buors

GOVERNMENT INTERFERING WITH PAIN MANAGEMENT

I have never supported the concept of medical cannabis because I
understand that the therapeutic state is all about tyranny at the
expense of liberty.

The case of Ron Lawrence presents the strongest case that I have ever
seen for the failure of social medicine, social assistance and the
notion of socialism itself that underlies it all.

Less than 100 years ago, humanity owned the absolute right to
self-medicate with whatever substance a free man chose to use to cure
whatever it was that ailed him.

Surrendering the right to self-medicate has lead directly to the
creation of the therapeutic state. Politicians, not the individual
suffering, now decide what substance we can use to medicate our pains.

When persons such as Ron Lawrence are left to languish at the mercy of
the state, I make the libertarian case that it's time to restore our
natural right to drugs, all of them.

Absent prohibition, patents and prescription rights, Mr. Lawrence
would be able to purchase cannabis for pennies on the free market.

I am ashamed to be a part of the social system that would turn its
back on persons such as Mr. Lawrence.

The welfare state allows all to sit at home comfortable shirking our
responsibilities to the less fortunate off to the incompetence of the
state.

There was a time when charity was a responsibility of the more
prosperous individuals to help the less fortunate. Human beings,
family and friends giving of their own volition will always be more
compassionate in delivering charity than the cold-hearted bureaucrats
Ron Lawrence and everybody else deal with.

Chris Buors

Winnipeg, Man.
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MAP posted-by: Matt Elrod