Legalising Drugs

A few days ago on the news, a minister was calling for the legalisation of drugs so that few will die of overdose and there could be more control. It was a Wayside Chapel minister and I gathered from the name that it must be a place helping drug addicts or people off the rail. So I had a search and confirmed my hunch about Wayside Chapel.

They are famous for running the first injection/needle exchange centre in Kings Cross, Sydney a few years ago when it wasn't legal to do so. There is no doubt they've done a lot for the down and out in society and those who are struggling with addiction of any kind. Very well you say on compassionate ground. But no amount of legalising can make the problem go away. What is harmful is still harmful, what is wrong is still wrong. By making it lawful doesn't mean that it won't hurt. On the contrary, it gives the opposite signal because it's legal and easily accessible. Just look around the world and we'll see no amount of legalising brothels, drugs, or same sex marriage actually improve the situation.

The laws are there for a reason. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And that the law is to help us become conscious of sin, and God's grace. (Romans 3:20b, 7:7, 21) Accepting and loving a person is different from accepting and allowing the person to continue to do what is not right and harmful (Romans 6:12-13).

In their recent newsletter, the Pastor said

“I'm sick of having my heart broken when I learn that some young person has made a brave attempt at life, made real progress in a rehab programme only to fail in the first few weeks after discharge. At least half of the people who have taken this brave journey, fail in the first couple of weeks. Imagine if we could cut that failure rate in half? I reckon we could do it. We have the passion and the skill and one day, we'll have the resources to do it.”

This is all the more evidence that we're battled against the spiritual forces rather than the physical of this world. We could try whatever human methods and would succeed to a certain extent. But it won't last. Because no matter how hard we try, it only addresses the superficial level that relies on self, rather than the transforming power of God that cleanses and reaches to the core of our being (Romans 7:22-25).