Pubdate: Tue, 15 Mar 2016
Source: Cape Times (South Africa)
Copyright: 2016 Cape Times
Contact:  http://www.capetimes.co.za/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2938
Author: Clifford Schaffer

DRUG LAWS NOT HELPING

THE question of what to do about drugs is not a new one. Over the 
last 100 years, there have been numerous major government commissions 
around the world that have studied the drug laws and made 
recommendations for changes.

You can find the full text of all of them at 
http://druglibrary.org/schaffer under "Major Studies of Drugs and Drug Policy".

They all reached remarkably similar conclusions, no matter who did 
them, or where, when, or why. They all agreed that the current laws 
were based on ignorance and nonsense, and that the current policy 
does more harm than good  no matter what you assume about the dangers 
of drugs. You don't have to take my word for that. Read them yourself.

If you are new to the collection, start with "Licit and Illicit 
Drugs" at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library 
/studies/cu/cumenu.htm. That is the best overall review of the drug 
problem ever written. If you only read one book on the subject, make 
it that one. It will give you a good summary of what you would learn 
if you read all the other major reports.

In 1973, President Nixon's US National Commission on Marihuana and 
Drug Abuse completed the largest study of the drug laws ever done.

At the end of their study, they said the real drug problem was not 
marijuana or heroin or cocaine. The real drug problem, they said, was 
the ignorance of our public officials who keep spouting off with 
solutions, but have never read the most basic research on the subject.

In a perfect illustration of their point, Nixon refused to read his 
own commission's report. The full text can be found at 
http://druglibrary.org/ schaffer/Library/studies/nc/ ncmenu.htm

Clifford Schaffer

Cape Town
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