"He conquers who endures."
Persius
"Some drugs are known to induce paranoia through chemical action. Marijuana, it seems, can do it through political action instead."
The Economist August 16, 1997
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."
Abraham Lincoln
Six Options for Controlling Drug Supply
Courtesy Transform - Working for an effective drug policyThere is a choice of regimes for controlling and regulating the production, supply and use of drugs. There are six basic models for distribution of drugs:
1) No regulation
Examples: raw magic mushrooms, poppies, fly agaric toadstools, datura, morning glory seeds.
Controls: no controls, legal or otherwise
2) Over the counter sales - supermarkets, grocers, health food shops
Examples: aspirin, paracetamol, poppers, glue, St John's Wort, tea, coffee.
Controls: Controls over production, limited controls at point of sale
3) Licensed sales
Examples: beer, spirits, tobacco.
Controls: Strict controls over licencee and purchaser e.g. age, state of intoxication
4) Pharmacy sales
Examples: Kaolin and morphine, codeine linctus, amphetamine-like decongestants, Dual products aspirin/paracetamol with dihydrocodeine.
Controls: Controls over pharmacist
5) Doctor's prescription
Examples: tranquillisers, anti-depressants, methadone, chlorpromazine, anti-psychotics, thalidomide, diamorphine.
Controls: Strict controls over doctor
6) Criminal marketplace (Prohibition)
Examples: LSD, heroin, cannabis, speed, crack.
Controls: Legal bans on production, supply and possession. Illegal production, supply and use in practice have almost no controls.
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