Pubdate: Sun, 10 Feb 2008
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Reilly Wood

SELECTIVELY BANNING DRUGS A HYPOCRITICAL POLICY

I was greatly disappointed by The Province editorial opposing the 
legalization of drugs.

It's true that legalization would likely result in more drug use. The 
point, however, is that legalization would greatly reduce problematic drug use.

Standardized doses would reduce the number of overdoses and cheaper 
drugs would reduce property crime, not to mention funnelling profits 
from gangs to law-abiding citizens.

But this all detracts from the real point.

Civil liberties are not something that should be arbitrarily chosen.

Just as there are alcoholics who drink excessively, there are addicts 
who use other drugs excessively.

In one case, we realize restricting everyone's behaviour would be 
excessively authoritarian, and in the other we do not.

The hypocrisy should be obvious.

Reilly Wood, Vancouver
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom