Stoned stupidity

In our own country, Justice Don Stewart, the man who headed the first Commonwealth national crime agency, set up in the wake of the Costigan Royal Commission two decades ago, and who has vast experience as a crime fighter, advocate and judge, has views similar to Posner and Becker.

Stewart, quoted in The Australian on February 25, said: "The evidence I heard over these five years indicated to me, beyond doubt, that there is a problem of gigantic proportions in our community. We'll never stop it, I'm convinced of that.

"Prohibition of alcohol didn't work in America. Why should prohibition of other drugs that people want work anywhere else?"

He says illicit drugs must be seen in a health context: "I am as convinced now that the medical solution is the only way forward, as I was once convinced that the criminalisation approach was the best approach."

It's time we heeded the word of the likes of Stewart, Mitchell, Posner and Becker. Let's end the unwinnable war on drugs now.