Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Bizarre

Apparently drug addicts are committing crimes so they can get into prison to recieve treatment. Prison psychiatrist, Theodore Dalrymple, writes about similar efforts whereby the addict makes a suicide bid for the same reason. But in a bizarre turn of events there are British prisons considering "quietly retoxifying" addicts due for release. Otherwise there is a risk that when released the prisoner, whose tolerance has declined while inside, kills himself with an accidental overdose!

If they don't value their own life, why should the rest of us? Leave them alone to get on with it. Even more bizarre is we spend millions trying to stop the production of drugs, millions trying to persuade people not to use them, millions putting people through the courts and locking them up, millions policing all the associated crime because we insist on prohibition, and now some to make sure these hapless creatures will be back for more.

If grown-ups want to smoke, drink, drug or eat themselves to an early grave - let them.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Exactly right...well said! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I read your post Lindsay, but I disagree with your conclusions because if we liken Holland's decriminalisation laws with what we see in New Zealand at the moment it becomes easy to see that the problem would be greatly magnified.

The United Nations' International Narcotics Control Board has questioned Holland's "fidelity" to its international commitments on drug control. The number of cannabis shops in Holland burgeoned as a result of drug tourism before neighouring nations complaints in 1996 pressured Holland to reduce the amount of cannabis sold for personal use.

So unlike you Lindsay I have great reservations about the practicality of adults being personally responsible. Simple history doesn't bear that out either.

Gloria

Anonymous said...

Drug use should be treated as a health issue not a crimianl matter. We don't prosecute people who drink themselves into oblivion every day so why prosecute people who do the same using some other drug?

We should hold them responsible for their actions, fire them if they are unable to work, evict them if they can't pay the rent and take their children off them if the can't look after them.

This would be far cheaper and as effective as criminalising drug production/consumption.

Anonymous said...

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