Almost daily in our practices we see the consequences of misusing a drug that is legal, readily available, often socially acceptable and relatively cheap: alcohol. Its costs are well documented in an article in the same issue [Research].² How would society be well served by the addition of yet another legal intoxicating drug?

As always, the devil is in the details. What is meant by "small amounts"? By "personal use"? How would this be verified? Which "drugs"? Marijuana? Morphine? Cocaine? Heroin? Where would clients obtain these "drugs"? Pharmacies? Government-run stores with the same ambience and level of customer-friendly service as government-run liquor outlets? Corner grocery stores? Internet shopping? How would costs be set? What about driving after marijuana use? Is there a Breathalyzer test for marijuana?

It is a lot easier to write commmentaries for CMAJ than it is to achieve the undescribed and unreferenced "risk-reduction strategies," "pragmatic prevention" and "rehabilitation" for substance abusers outlined in this article.¹

Catherine Hankins should reconsider before she advocates providing society with easier access to yet another intoxicating drug. Drugs are not bad because they are illegal. Drugs are illegal because they are bad.