By

Thomas G Richardson

About fifteen or so years ago Judge Pickles a controversial figure wrote an article in the Times. It started along the following lines:

“It is around 1897 a young man is seated on a chair. He is thin, white and pasty. His hands constantly shake and his eyes dart about. His hair is unkempt and his clothes in dire need of cleaning. This man is an addict. He needs regular fixes of the only drug that can keep him going”.

So what exactly was this drug? Could it be heroin no it was coffee. People who drank this evil substance quickly became addicts and would no doubt decline in their life style and health. That is what the media of that time was telling people

There are many fables about drugs and their devastating results on our lives if we consume them. I have done a fair bit of research on this subject and do not want to bore you with the lot. But here are some. The average heroin user can be helped of the drug within 2 or 3 weeks. Heroin addiction is just above that of cigarettes in its potency. The main difference being that cigarettes are legal and heroin isn’t. Cigarettes are quality controlled where as heroin is cut with talcum powder, brick dust and sometime god help us rat poison. Pure heroin administered correctly in sterile conditions although addictive is about as harmful (and some argue less harmful) than cigarettes.

Many addicts in fact are not addicted to the drug but to the needle and are known as needle freaks. Police did a survey of wraps of heroin in New York and found that the drug was so adulterated that it contained less than 3 per cent of heroin hardly enough to get anyone addicted

I have helped several drug addicts come of these substances but the hardest thing is keeping them off it. The main reason for this is because many addicts have only other addicts as friends. These friends will be determined to get them back on the needle. With cigarettes if you are giving up people will be helpful and of course no one minds being friends with someone who smokes but how many can say they don’t mind having heroin addicts as their friends.

Judge Pickles then went on to give a detailed argument why all drugs should be made legal. The main one being that 86.5 per cent of crime is drug related in some way whether it be through corruption of officials, burglary, muggings, or other crimes to feed the habit. Once made legal (after lots of pre education about the dangers etc) most of these crimes would disappear. The addicts would go to their nearest chemist pick up a pack of five or so prepared doses of their drug and discreetly inject themselves. Their life span would probably be that of the cigarette smoker and personally as I hate smelling of other peoples cigarette smoke I would prefer to sit next to the heroin addict.

Many people have taken these drugs for years with very little bad effects they are the lucky ones who can get the real drug and administer it correctly. I believe a few years ago a high ranking civil servant in the NHS admitted to having taken heroin for over thirty years. Nurses, doctors etc can get access to the drugs but only some use them illegally.

Once made legal the drugs can hen be taxed like other items and bring in revenue to the government which could be used to help those who wish to give up to do so. There is an area of the brain which controls what we become addicted to and scientists are working on an antidote which will knock out this control centre and then all addicts could be released from their misery if they so wished.

If they were made legal the horror stories given out by the do gooders about us becoming a nation of drug addicts would I believe not happen. I like many of my friends do not smoke and never will. I would have never taken heroin or any illegal drug. I like a drink say a few pints a week and that is it. The fact is the country is awash with any drug that you want or so we are told. Even in the small village where I live apparently you can get them if you want them. But the price is high so if you get addicted you will have to turn to crime to support your habit.

The illegal drugs business is at the last count has a 380 billion pounds annual turnover which makes Walmart and Bill Gates look like paupers. How can any government fight that sort of money and organisation. Anyone with half a brain knows the drug war was lost years ago. Make them legal and we can all benefit. No doubt the criminals will find other sources of income but they will lose that large amount of money which they use to bribe officials to turn a blind eye. Personally I believe we all have a price. Just go high enough and most of us will give in. And I know full well dear reader that you wouldn’t so don’t write to me to tell me this. In the 1920s Al Capone was discussing this point of price with his hoodlums. He pointed to a middle aged cleaner and said “I bet I can get that old bag to do a strip tease for us” One fool bet against him. He asked the lady to step into one of the hotel rooms and asked her to take her clothes off for their entertainment. In disgust she refused. He pulled a huge bundle of notes out of his pocket and started throwing them down in front of her when he reached 600 dollars off came her clothes that amount was probably 2 or 3 years of hard work as a cleaner. She earned it in five minutes! Now imagine what you could do with 380 billion. You could buy countries, politicians, officials all who have influence.

Most of the illegal drugs are grown in poor countries and these countries would probably benefit if the drugs were legal and there are probably many other spin offs.

I have written this article in the hope of getting a debate going don’t write to me write to the journal the editor will only too pleased to put your comments forward but please think about what you write and be constructive.