Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jan 2002
Source: Newsday (NY)
Copyright: 2002 Newsday Inc.
Contact:  http://www.newsday.com/homepage.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/308
Author: Arthur Cole

END THE DRUG PROHIBITION

Three cheers for Robert Sharpe's "U.S. Should Follow Europe's Lead in 
Drug-Law Reform," [Viewpoints, Jan. 3]. It contained some of the most 
eloquent and revealing insights into the drug war that I have yet read.

People who continue to support America's total prohibition approach should 
know that the drug war is the cause of much violence around the world and 
in our own backyards. Drug violence is fueled by the illegal drug trade, 
not by the drug user. Drug addicts don't run amok with automatic weapons, 
but shootings between street dealers are all too common.

Ending prohibition does not mean that we simply throw all the laws out the 
window. But it would allow us to place the drug distribution system in the 
hands of physicians and scientists, rather than street punks. We've given 
the prohibitionists 30 years to produce results. Let's try another tack.

Arthur Cole

Hope Valley, R.I.
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