'Tackle drink, forget drugs'



End the failed war on drugs and train your big guns on alcohol, experts have told the government. Two executive committee members at the Central Drugs Authority, which guides government policy on substance abuse, say there is a pressing need to reduce the harm that liquor causes.Writing in the SA Medical Journal, University of Cape Town psychiatrist Dan Stein and North West University drug expert Eva Manyedi say there is little evidence that criminalisation reduces substance abuse.They call for:Approval for research on the medicinal benefits of dagga and other substances;Facilities like needle exchanges to keep users safe; andWide availability of medication addiction treatment."We ... do not want policy to lead simply to 'big tobacco' being joined by 'big marijuana'," they say."There is insufficient evidence this would be a gain for public health."An exchange of opinions in the latest SA Medical Journal follows the Central Drug Authority call in June for dagga to be decriminalised.Stein and Manyedi say: "In South Africa, alcohol is the most harmful substance in use. Tobacco is also extremely harmful to individuals and costly for society."Marijuana has been associated with many harmful effects."There was growing evidence that "harm reduction" steps help in tackling substance abuse. These include psychotherapy, drug screening, medication and needle and syringe programmes."Efforts to reduce harm have been poorly resourced in SA," they say.Stein and Manyedi say competing interests are a problem, pointing out that the Central Drug Authority contains civil servants from different government departments."Some are focused on adhering to international agreements ... to outlaw drugs."We also know that there may be different positions within government about the value of putting more pressure on the liquor industry," they say.Simon's Town GP Keith Scott calls for "legal regulation" of dagga. He says that the "glaring omission" from UN lists of psychotropic substances is "the most harmful drug of all, alcohol".