Monday, 9 August 2010

A Guardian Group Editorial Which Talks Sense

Yes, you did read the title correctly.

If the purpose of [...] policy is to make toxic substances available to anyone who wants them in a flourishing market economy controlled by murderous criminal gangs, the current arrangements are working well.

If, however, the goal is to reduce the amount [...] being consumed and limit the harm associated with addiction, it is surely time to tear up the current policy. It has failed.
Well, exactly. Such failure is regularly pointed out around here, in all manner of areas.

It's just a shame that the Graun can spot political incompetence with regard to drugs, whilst perpetually applauding increasingly restrictive policies being directed at vices less trendy amongst Guardianista circles.

In short, "Let them eat space cake".


4 comments:

Mark Wadsworth said...

Indeed.

One thing the far left and far right have in common is that drugs ought to legalised, regulated, taxed, just like tobacco or alcohol are presently.

What divides the two is that the far left think that tobacco and alcohol ought to be banned and users thereof treated like pariahs.

Weird, weird, weird.

Curmudgeon said...

Yes, I always find it very strange that Guardianistas call for a more liberal policy towards currently illegal drugs, but a more illiberal policy towards currently legal ones.

And when the cannabis lobby start banging on about how alcohol is more harmful, then they start to lose my sympathy.

It should be a libertarian argument, not a harm reduction argument.

Anonymous said...

Possibly related, as it is also in the "G" and also about "consumption" - do go feast your eyes on this splendid piece of trash -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/09/barbecue-meals-daily-calorie-health

Anonymous said...

Well the way they are going with tobbaco and alchohol they will soon be experiencing the same criminal gangs dealing in those.
Tobacco is already being smuggled in due to excessive taxation in the UK.
Anyone would think the government where complicit as so called tobacco control is creating a new industry for criminals.
Playing into the hands of criminals again.

These drugs, all of them are here to stay,and what I would say to the misguided naive prohibitionist stance is grow up these substances will never go away.
Nor do you have the resources to make that happen.
You have about as much chance of stopping tobacco use as you would have eradicating the species of common stinging nettles !