Quintin Jardine's blog

I have never taken a recreational drug, other than alcohol, at any time in my life. That said, I’m a member of a minority group of believers that such substances should be decriminalised. We live in an era where human rights are valued and protected by international agreements, yet our society continues to pass an enforce laws determining what individuals may or may not inject, inhale or ingest. If these were set aside, and all drugs were treated as are tobacco and alcohol, i. e. legitimised and taxed, the revenues they would generate, and the vast amounts that are currently spent on the pursuit, prosecution and punishment of users and suppliers would be saved to be used for the betterment of society. This might include health education on the dangers of abuse of these products, and if so, fair enough.

However there is one area of drug abuse where the issues are less clear cut, and that is in professional sport. I came across an interesting blog on the BBC website this morning. Worth a read.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2011/07/inside_the_anti-doping_system_3.html