Pubdate: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 Source: Daily Herald (IL) Copyright: 2001 The Daily Herald Company Contact: http://www.dailyherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/107 Author: Robert Wheat DRUG USERS ARE HELPING DRIVE UP THE CRIME RATE Two people have been arrested for the murder of Eric Leo, a Chicago police officer, and maybe more to come, but who is really guilty? The situation, as I understand it, was drug related. Who created this situation? Every one of you out there who create the market for these drug traffickers, each and every one of you who think you are just socializing when you "do your drugs," you who think you are doing no harm when you take that puff of marijuana. Think again. Someone got you those drugs, and they broke the law while getting them and maybe, just maybe, if someone was in their way at the time, they, too, may have been killed. I know you think this is melodramatic thinking, but more is spent on illegal drugs every year than health care, education, welfare and police protection combined. And the people in charge of manufacturing, marketing and selling these drugs aren't about to let anyone stand in the way of such a lucrative market. No one - not you, not me, not the innocent children and certainly not the police. If you want to take a bite out of crime, get off the drugs, that is if you can. Robert Wheat Westchester - --- MAP posted-by: Josh