Pubdate: Thu, 05 Apr 2007
Source: Gazette, The (London, CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2007 The Gazette
Contact:  http://www.gazette.uwo.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2548
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

THINKING OUTSIDE THE HOT BOX

Given the inconsistencies in Canada's drug laws, it's difficult to 
discern when and where we should take an active stance for or against 
illegal drug use.

Existing laws cloud our perceptions of drugs and how some may be 
different from others. Ritalin and alcohol, while legal, have 
potentially deadly side-effects on the heart and liver, respectively. 
On the other hand, marijuana has fewer detrimental effects, 
especially if it isn't smoked. The seemingly baseless standards on 
which these laws are created complicate the ethics of punishment. 
While some cases are clear-cut -- certainly those supplying cocaine 
should be policed -- others aren't so easy.

Many dealers at Western see themselves as businesspeople; dealers may 
not even regularly use the drugs they sell. Also, considering the 
recent U.K. report claiming marijuana and ecstasy are safer than 
alcohol, some aren't harming people any more than any Richmond Row bar is.

The usual arguments for legalizing marijuana -- the missed tax 
revenue, the saved expense of policing the drug -- still hold weight. 
Yet, even for more seriously harmful or addictive drugs, trying to 
force people to stop using or dealing isn't always effective. 
Illegality creates underground drug trades, where purity cannot be 
verified and the dangers associated with drug use increase.

Still, these considerations aren't enough to conclude legalizing more 
drugs is the best solution. Legalization would make drugs ubiquitous. 
The fact that many people are surprised to learn alcohol is 
considered more dangerous than marijuana is testament to the fact 
that, in general, people don't think carefully enough about legal drug use.

Drugs' legality poses particularly significant problems when we 
examine "self-medication." If a student feels their prescribed 
medication doesn't aid their mental problems, but drugs like 
marijuana or Ritalin do, should we fault them? Pot and non-prescribed 
Ritalin are considered "wrong" because they're illegal, not 
necessarily because of their side-effects. A heavy dose of booze or 
any over-the-counter medication can harm someone as easily, if not 
easier, than cannabis.

Choosing drugs based on legality doesn't guarantee safe choices. 
Legalized drugs don't always affect our lives positively, just as 
illegal ones don't always affect us negatively.

The only surefire way to help the population make good decisions 
about drugs is education. Firm knowledge on a drug's short and 
long-term side-effects and addictiveness helps people make informed decisions.

All we can do is ensure there is ample information for people 
considering drug use and open, judgement-free avenues for people 
seeking help for drug-related problems.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman