Madam, – In his letter on Drugs and Crime (April 16th) Iain Price made the point, much laboured by Michael McDowell as Minister for Justice, that the users of recreational drugs are, in part, responsible for the bloodshed and destruction caused to people’s lives as a result of the illegal drug trade in Ireland.
I wonder has Mr Price ever considered himself responsible for the crimes committed on a much grander scale by pharmaceutical companies when he takes an aspirin to cure a headache or antibiotics to help him when he is ill?
To say that users are responsible for such crime is a ridiculous suggestion which relieves the criminal gangs of total and complete responsibility. Are those who drank in speakeasys during the time of prohibition in America responsible for the crimes of Al Capone and others? Most would say no, it was the government’s fault for handing the lucrative business of supplying intoxicating liquor into the hands of criminals.
He also states that without supply there will be no demand. This is true, however unrealistic the proposition. We know that there will never be no demand for recreational drugs. What is also true though is that if the distribution of recreational drugs was taken out of the hands of the criminal gangs and regulated by the state, the industry would be safer for both the user and the supplier. Problem solved.
– Yours, etc,