Letter
Drug Addictionis a Medical Problem
Dear Sir:
The problems facing Cayman are that we areexpending a large portion of our resources policing our watersand neighborhoods, tying up our courts and crowding our prison.Crime connected with addicts trying to get money to buy drugswill end if drugs are legalized and distributed by governmentat no charge.
Medical problems associated with addictstaking drugs of unknown composition, using unclean needles couldbe eliminated. It is my opinion that all of the countries in theworld will sooner or later realize that drug addiction is a medicalproblem and must be treated much as we treat alcoholism.
It is not reasonable to lock up everyonewho drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes, as is the case with peoplefound to take or possess drugs. We have set up laws that punishpeople who drink and inflict harm on society. We also set up clinicswhere they can be helped.
In this way, we keep alcoholics in the mainstream of our society rather than forcing them into a sub cultureof prison and crime, as is the case for people who use or possessillegal drugs. Let us try something new for a change, "thewar on drugs has been lost" because its battle plans areflawed and have not been updated for many years.
Arthur Schindler