Pubdate: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2007 Calgary Herald Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n197/a03.html?325270 Author: Keith Fagin FUTILE Prohibition - Re: "Family bravely battles to defeat demon drug," Feb. 17. How many more people have similar stories? Do we build the necessary treatment centres for them? No, of course not. We ignore the facts and use prohibition laws to imprison drug addicts, wasting millions of dollars annually on creating criminals out of drug consumers and drug abusers. Prohibition only adds more harm to that which addictive drugs causes already. People will do drugs, gamble and take risks. Threatened with expensive, long prison terms and even death, humans still consume drugs. Regulating drugs like alcohol is the only safe answer. Regulate, tax and educate. Use the billions saved to fund treatment centres and research into better ways to stop or at least reduce the harm addictions cause. Keith Fagin, Calgary - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom