Rastaman, putting aside the eloquent arguments both for and against the legalisation of soft drugs for a moment, you are leaving one very important item out of the education you advocate. That is the
fact that when you choose to support an illegal trade,
you also have made the choice to support the violence that goes along with that trade. Some of the blood spilled is innocent, some far from it . . . but in my opinion all of it is soiling the hands of
every one of the millions of
consumers of illegal substances worldwide.
They are the ones who ultimately "owe God a woman and a kid".
Just look at the Countess of Wessex's business partner who supposedly quite likes the "odd line of coke", many of the entertainers, all peace and love and care and concern, and who so eagerly and self-rightously spout off about various issues and causes, and certainly a healthy percentage of doctors and lawyers (and they are far from the only professions, all with their share of illegal substance using/abusing so-called professionals, I could name), certainly not forgetting many of those in the media and related industries - everyone, everywhere who is f***ing b!tch or b@stard enough to sit there and lie to themselves, to think that his or her use of illicit substances is a "victimless" crime . . .
THINK AGAIN!!! 
(And I should think it would be obvious where those I described above can go, and what they can do, to themselves, when they get there.)
[This message has been edited by pax domina (edited 25 April 2001).]