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
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MAP posted-by: Josh