I wonder what would happen if it were decided in Parliament that alcohol would become illegal by the end of the month; not an unreasonable outcome given our hard line approach to lesser drugs. After all, it would be for the good of the community in general... wouldn't it?

I wonder:

• Would our Wise Politicians clear out their wine racks? Would our Honourable MPs take out their prized bottles of Grange Hermitage or even Wolf Blass Brown Label and empty them down the sink?
• How about all those law enforcers who help to keep our streets safe? Would they abide by these laws? Would Senior Constable Smith take out the last of his VB stubbies and put them in the recycling bin after emptying their contents onto his front lawn?
• Certainly the Judicial Fraternity would do the right thing eh? Justice Murphy would undoubtedly dispose of his last bottle of Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whiskey by emptying it down the drain.
• The Media Reporters who keep on reminding us that something must be done about the Drug Problem. Of Course they'll get rid of those last few bottles of Bollinger Champagne they've been hoarding.
• And Frank, the Construction Worker who claims, "There is no such thing as recreational drugs, only licit and illicit". He'll crush his whole slab of Fosters Cans right?
• Or Tania, the mother of three who is desperate to save her kids from the evils of drugs... she will SURELY give up her few daily glasses of Windy Peak Chardonnay.
• What about you? What would you do with the case of wines you have cellared under your house? They're ready to drink about now. Or the spirits and liqueurs you have in your cupboard to make CS cowboys and Gin Tonics on Saturday night, before hitting the club? Not to forget the boutique beers you so enjoy on a Sunday afternoon BBQ at your mate's place? Of course, being law abiding you'd dispose of these, right?

Would these people all dispose of their stash, or would they "know better" and save what's left of their favourite poison to enjoy at a later time? Would they try to obtain more after it has been consumed... by illegal means?

What about:

• Bill, the bricklayer who brews his own beer. Will he give up his brewing hobby or will he eventually be arrested for "The Manufacture of a Dangerous Drug of Addiction".
• And Spiro, the retired factory worker who makes his own wine from the grapes he grows in his back yard, then gives a few bottles to his mates. Does this make Spiro a Drug Dealer? Should he be arrested and sent to jail for 20 years?
• Not to mention Frank the Accountant who has his own Wet Bar in his Billiard Room. It is his pride and joy. I suppose he could replace his collection of Spirits and Liqueurs with Iced Tea and Soft Drinks.

Oh, but what would happen to the associated Businesses... and the people they employ? Would they all lose their jobs at:

• The Breweries?
• The Bottle Shops?
• The Vineyards?
• The Cocktail Bars, Pubs and Wine Bars?

Would restaurants close down because they couldn't afford to operate without serving alcohol?

Then there are the manufacturers, distributors and retailers of Wine Glasses, Champagne Flutes, Beer Glasses, Whiskey Tumblers, Highball Glasses, Swizzle Sticks... the list goes on. Should they also be persecuted and put out of business? After all, aren't these now Drug Implements? A beer glass is designed to hold Beer, not water or Coca-Cola... isn't that right?... or is this argument just plain stupid? What do "Glasses" have to do with the drug (alcohol)?

I know what you're thinking... all this is ridiculous... it could never happen... and you'd be right. Why? - Because alcohol is a way of life for too many people. It is socially acceptable and the recreational drug of choice of the masses.

Prohibition of alcohol has been tried... and it failed... and so as a race of people, did we supposedly draw a line in the sand and declare, "Alcohol and everything Softer than Alcohol will be Allowed and everything Harder than Alcohol will be Forbidden"?

Many thousands of people are being persecuted around the world each day for drug related crimes. Most of these people are not unlike Senior Constable Smith, Tania the mother of three or Spiro the retired factory worker. They are normal people who have chosen to use a different recreational drug, in many cases softer than Alcohol.

What makes all illicit drugs SO bad is the fact that they are illicit. Solve that problem, and we can deal with the effects.

...oh and which drugs are less harmful than alcohol? Do some research... you'll be surprised.