Pubdate: Sat, 15 Jul 2000
Source: Providence Journal, The (RI)
Copyright: 2000 The Providence Journal Company
Contact:  75 Fountain St., Providence RI 02902
Website: http://www.projo.com/
Author: Harry Bego
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n804/a06.html

DON'T TELL ME THE DRUG WAR HASN'T FAILED

Regarding the June 13 letter by Richard D. Bonnette ("America's drug war 
hasn't failed") asserting that war on drugs has made great progress.

Remarkable progress, indeed. In terms of crime, disruption of law and 
order, social and personal misery and waste of resources, the radical 
ideology of the "drug-free world" is causing society an immense amount of harm.

While hundreds of thousands are incarcerated throughout the world, ruining 
the lives of millions of people, 8 percent of international trade now 
consists of illegal drugs, and entire nations are destabilized.

Thanks to drug prohibition, which is a policy grounded in cultural fears 
rather than sincere concern for public well-being, the dividing line 
between the decent world and the illegal underworld cuts right across 
society. The world's most vulnerable populatons are touched most intensely: 
youth culture, minorities.

Harry Bego, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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