Pubdate: Wed, 29 Jan 2014
Source: Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.thedailynews.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1056
Author: Jamie Dombroski
Page: 8

LEGALISATION HELPED HALVE ALL DRUG ABUSE

In response to Marie O'Connor (Letters' January 27) I am compelled to
share with you a few facts I have come across concerning cannabis.

Portugal decriminalised all drugs 12 years ago, not just cannabis, all
drugs, and the result was that drug abuse has now halved. This may
come as a surprise to a lot of you, and the theory of
decriminalisation being a ticket to drug problems is a fair statement
to make, but the real tide turner is what we choose to do with drug
users/abusers. Do we lock them up like animals or do we treat them
like humans and give them the help they may need?

Over $100 million is spent annually on the war on drugs, yet drugs are
still being sold and used on a daily basis, and the fear of being
caught is definitely not a deterrent. That is a lot of money, that I
feel could help prevent drug abuse if spent more efficiently,
preferably on education and treatment.

As for the schizophrenia problem? Cannabis actually contains a
compound called cannabidiol (CBD) which has been found to be an
anti-psychotic, and has been found to have less side effects than
previous measures. The problem here is that with people trying to max
out the potential of the psychoactive ingredient delta-9
Tetrahydrocannabinol it has an adverse effect on the amount of CBD
that can be produced. A problem that government regulation could
possibly solve.

Argentina , Belgium, Italy, Nepal, Switzerland, and Spain have
decriminalised cannabis, and in Uruguay it is legal and regulated by
the government. Washington and Colorado have decriminalised and many
states in the US and Canada have legalised it for medicinal use. They
have chosen a better way to treat their users, and with such a high
rate of users in New Zealand I feel we should be looking toward
alternative measures too.

I personally don't think anyone should do drugs, but as an ex user I
more than understand why people take drugs and drink, and believe me
when I say the law means nothing to a user, and that's why prohibition
has failed.

JAMIE DOMBROSKI Waitara
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MAP posted-by: Matt