Thursday 5 June 2003

"Control" is not the answer

Dr James Wilkie just doesn't get it:
I am glad Donald Findlay, QC, has not received much support for his advocacy of drug legalisation (your report, 2 June). It would be the height of irresponsibility to do any such thing.

This is not a problem that is entirely susceptible to control at national level, and certainly not by such means.

The whole point is that "control" is the problem and not the solution. That's what Donald Findlay was stating a few days ago.

Fortunately Norman Paterson has responded promptly:

The problem with drugs is that dependance feeds crime - theft, robbery, prostitution - as a means to obtain the money to buy supplies, because they are illegal and expensive.

It also costs the taxpayer money to fund what have been ineffectual attempts to block the traffickers.

Dr Wilkie would do well to examine some of the libertarian writings on the drug issue rather than relying on the tired statist rantings of the United Nations.