LIDOVÉ NOVINY, February the 10th, 1997, 5th page.

The Freedom of Individual is the Matter

Health: Repressive Policy Does Not Have to be an Universal Remedy.

by Filip HUBICKA

The supporters of the legalization of the drug sale argue, first of all, that the state power does not have the right to decide instead of citizen which substances are good for his health.

"The question is, in which way should the society react on the fact that people do things that harm their health," indicates doctor Jan Jarab, activist of the Transnational Radical Party and the Movement for Civic Solidarity and Tolerance (HOST). According to him, it is unlogical that the state tolerates the consumption of alcohol and nicotin, but in the meantime refuses other drugs. "Such prohibition does not pertain to a liberal society. It is impossible to prescribe to a sane citizen, what is good for him and what is not. Obviously I admit that those who sell drugs to children should be punished. Let s therefore protect children and leave adults to do whatever they want in this respect. It is a fundamental question of the individual freedom", stresses Jarab. Adds that the ideal solution would be to sell narcotics in the pharmacies. "So that these substances would be in better hands. When the search of people for it is illicit, they become a part of the crimin

al environment, often unintentionaly. However, just the fact that somebody likes different sensuous experiences does not mean that he sympathizes with such environment," gives reasons for his oppinion. However, the supporters of prohibitive policy consider these arguments to be unsufficient. They think that the distress of the society by narcotics fully justifies the repressive policy. "I am not convinced about this. Thirty years lasting war against drugs was not successful - the drug demand is not decreasing. Drugs are being spread in illegal channels," Jarab doubts about the results of antidrug campaign.