Pubdate: Wed, 11 Jan 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Whelm King
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n018/a05.html

ANTI-ECSTASY PROPOSALS MAKE THINGS WORSE

Re: "After ecstasy, more bad drugs," Jan. 5.

The editorial hugely misses the mark in advocating increased criminal 
legislation and a standard "just say no" scare tactic to combat ecstasy deaths.

I am not writing as an advocate for the use of ecstasy, but rather as 
a pragmatist who understands that both young and old, though young 
more so, have always and will always experiment with mind-and 
mood-altering substances.

The problem with ecstasy is very simple: Ecstasy is supposed to be 
pure MDMA but due to its criminalization, it is left to the black 
market to determine its contents and quality. As a result, what 
should be a relatively safe drug to take in reasonable amounts is 
commonly not truly MDMA but a cheaper, more dangerous substance.

While there are risks involved in consuming MDMA even if it's pure, 
by far the bigger risk is due exclusively to prohibition. Our 
government's plan to tighten regulations on the precursors of MDMA is 
a typical move that makes for good copy and "tough on crime" 
rhetoric, but the effect, if there is any at all, will be simply that 
ecstasy producers use cheaper and more dangerous precursors, and more 
will die as a result.

More laws and more cops are not the answer to sociological problems.

Whelm King

Victoria
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom