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technologies, their use is hard to control, and if' consumed improperly or
excessively, they.can be highly destructive to the body and the mind.
Those of us in the moderation-in-all-things party would say that this'
perspective of truthful openness applies to ali of the natural (a.k.a.
"naughty") risk-laden activities of human beings that make us feel good:
sex, alcohol, food, rock climbing, loud music, etc. Policies centered on
the
drum beat of unscientific dogma are now quickly recognized by their
intended
young audiences as .... well ... something from a doggy. Hence they don't tend
to work.
If we want to address the real problem and not simply pat ourselves on the
back for jailing another child, watching while another young "drug dealer"
fills the vacuum, we must eliminate profit from illicit drug distribution,
and target dependence and addiction as the primary crises. These problems
are reflections of the inadequacy of education and other deeper social
ills,
and prohibition will not cure them. Biological warfare certainly will not
cure them. People experiencing the pain of· society's wounds will simply
turn
to other illegalities for relief.
To be very clear, decriminalization cannot occur without a deep commitment
to enduring education..The discovered knowledge of effects of these type~
of
substances must be taught at a young age, and updated throughout life'. We
live in a highly mechanized society, not organically in a garden free of
singl-e points of failure, and each individual is a vital function of a
community system. The lives of us all depend upon the functions of each of
us.
I
Whenever decriminali~ation of consumption does become politically correct,
the transition is likely to be bumpy and challenging" but there would seem
no easier way out of ignorance than educat·ion.
ISSUES THAT CAN UNITE
As controversial as such subjects may be, more challenging subjects are
ahead for the statesmen and stateswomen of the 21st century, and they are
not likely to divide us along familiar political" social or even national
lines:
U What is the strategic future of the United Nations with respect to
national and other multinational governing bodies?
U Will the West step up and lend to Russia significant
multi-disciplinary assistance genuinely devoid of financial leverage
balanced ip our favor?