Pubdate: Mon, 18 Jun 2007
Source: Columbian, The (WA)
Copyright: 2007 The Columbian Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.columbian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n708/a02.html?61216
Author: Kirk Muse

REGULATION REDUCES HARM

I'm writing about John Dunn's thoughtful guest opinion on June 10, 
"Meth enslaves the children of users." If meth were legally available 
in licensed business establishments for pennies per dose, would meth 
users need to constantly hunt for new converts to fund their habit? 
No. Would meth use decline as a result? Yes.

If we re-legalized all our illegal drugs so that they could be sold 
by licensed and regulated businesses for pennies per dose, would this 
eliminate our drug problems? No. However, doing so would dramatically 
reduce our crime rate and increase public safety.

Will we ever be able to eliminate our drug problems? No.

However, we can substantially reduce the harm caused by our illegal 
drugs. Regulated and controlled drugs would be of known purity, known 
potency and known quality - which would make them very much safer 
than today's black market drugs.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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