Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jan 2002
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2002, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n075/a06.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

'END THIS INSANITY'

Thank you for publishing Robert Sharpe's outstanding letter, "Institutional 
corruption," on Jan. 15. Our prohibition of recreational drugs has proven 
to be just as counterproductive as alcohol prohibition. It has corrupted 
all levels of government from the cops on the beat and prison guards to 
heads of government.

If we can't keep illegal drugs out of high-security prisons, we certainly 
are not going to be able to keep drugs from getting into our country with 
thousands of miles of international boarders and coastline. Almost all of 
our so-called drug-related crime is actually drug prohibition caused crime. 
Nobody was robbing, stealing or committing acts of prostitution to get 
money to buy drugs at the beginning of the last century. That's because 
Bayer heroin was available at local pharmacies for about the same price as 
Bayer aspirin. Also Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and 
sold for five cents a bottle.

If we re-legalized recreational drugs they could be taxed, regulated and 
controlled by our government. Now drugs are untaxed, unregulated and 
controlled by criminal gangs and terrorists.

Let's end this insanity now!

Kirk Muse
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager