Pubdate: Thu, 19 Apr 2012
Source: North Bay Nugget (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.nugget.ca/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.nugget.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2226
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n225/a07.html

DRUG WAR ALTERNATIVE

Regarding John R. Hunt's column (War on drugs must be discussed, 
Nugget, April 18), there is a middle ground between drug prohibition 
and full legalization.

Switzerland's heroin maintenance program has been shown to reduce 
disease, death and crime among chronic users. The success of the 
Swiss program has inspired pilot projects in Canada, Germany, Spain, 
Denmark and the Netherlands

If expanded, heroin maintenance would deprive organized crime of a 
core client base. This would render illegal heroin trafficking 
unprofitable and spare future generations addiction.

Marijuana should be taxed and sold like alcohol, only without the 
advertising. As long as organized crime controls distribution, 
marijuana consumers will come into contact with hard drugs like 
methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct 
result of marijuana prohibition

Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose 
death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. 
Marijuana may be relatively harmless, but marijuana prohibition is deadly.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Arlington, Virginia
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom