Pubdate: Mon, 22 Jan 2007
Source: Neepawa Banner, The (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 The Neepawa Banner
Contact:  http://www.neepawabanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3951
Author: Robert Sharpe

DRUG LAW REFORM NEEDED

Gwynne Dyer's Jan. 15th column was right on target.

There is a middle ground between drug prohibition and blanket 
legalization. Switzerland's heroin maintenance program has been shown 
to reduce disease, death and crime among chronic users. Providing 
addicts with standardized doses in a clinical setting eliminates many 
of the problems associated with heroin use. Heroin maintenance pilot 
projects are underway in Canada, England, Germany, Spain and the 
Netherlands. If expanded, prescription 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 regulated like alcohol, only without 
the ubiquitous advertising. Separating the hard and soft drug markets 
is critical. As long as marijuana distribution remains in the hands 
of organized crime, consumers of the most popular illicit drug will 
continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like 
cocaine. Given that marijuana is arguably safer than legal alcohol, 
it makes no sense to waste scarce resources on failed policies that 
fi nance organized crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs. Drug 
policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like to 
think the children are more important than the message.

For information on the efficacy of heroin maintenance please read the 
following British Medical Journal report: 
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/327/7410/310

To learn more about heroin maintenance research in Canada please 
visit: http://www.naomistudy.ca/

Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC
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MAP posted-by: Elaine