Glow sticks burned brightly all over Canada yesterday as optimistic ravers partied at the thought of being able to pick up doses of MDMA at their local government run ecstasy shops. Giving a new slant to e-stores, Dr Perry Kendall, the chief provincial health officer of British Columbia, said that pure MDMA is “safe” when consumed responsibly by adults, and really good techno is playing. Okay, he said nothing about techno.

There has been a string of ecstasy related deaths in Canada recently. Dr Kelly points out that these deaths have nothing to do with MDMA, but have been caused by a toxin called PMMA that MDMA is cut with to make more cash for the dealers. In a fantastic show of level-headedness and  logic, Dr Kelly argues against  prohibition and for legalisation. He said:

We accept the fact that alcohol, which is inherently dangerous, is a product over a certain age that anybody can access. . . So I don’t think the issue is a technical one of how we would manage that. The issue is a political, perceptual one.

Canadian pill poppers, or other MDMA lovers hoping Canada sets a precedent should not get their hopes up though, as MDMA was recently boosted to the top of Canada’s drug scheduling list under the federal government’s omnibus crime bill.

One can only hope more government officials start seeing the “war on drugs” as futile, and that continued prohibition will only lead to more unnecessary deaths caused by bad drugs. Keep up the good fight, Dr Kelly

[Source: Statesman]