Pubdate: Mon, 09 Sep 2002
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2002 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Anthony Gracey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

REDUCE DEMAND

Dear Editor:

Re: the Senate report on drugs. It was encouraging to see such a 
progressive piece of writing come out of one of the highest political 
bodies in the land.

What is getting lost in all the hoopla surrounding the legalizing of pot is 
the fact that this is a piece of literature that recognizes the harmful 
effects of drugs on society and treats them as a social and health issue, 
not as a criminal one.

These are the first politicians in a long time to actually realize if you 
want to curb drug usage, it is best to reduce demand among your citizens 
and not focus on the supply side.

Because by reducing demand, you inherently destroy the supply and the 
organized crime it usually funds, while at the same time ensuring Canadians 
can get healthy.

People in Canada use drugs. At the same time, many of these same people 
(usually not pot smokers) do not want to. It is called addiction; it is a 
mental disorder, and no amount of jail time or fines will ever help these 
people. The only thing that will is progressive legislation based upon this 
report.

I challenge people to look beyond the legalization of pot controversy that 
will stem from this report and think about how to honestly deal with 
Canadian citizens who have a problem they can no longer control.

Anthony Gracey, Halifax
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager