Pubdate: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 Source: Charleston Gazette (WV) Copyright: 2002 Charleston Gazette Contact: http://www.wvgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/77 LEGALIZE? War On Narcotics BELIEVE it or not, an American religious denomination has called for legalizing all narcotics, which would halt the billion-dollar national "war on drugs" and free hundreds of thousands of prison inmates. Meeting last week in Quebec City, the Unitarian Universalist Association passed a resolution saying: "Drug abuse issues are essentially matters for medical attention. We do not believe that drug use should be considered criminal behavior." It indicated that narcotics should be regulated through channels similar to those used for prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The denomination's president, who is black, said: "The so-called 'war on drugs' is creating violence, endangering children, clogging the criminal justice system, eroding civil liberties, and disproportionately punishing people of color. It's time for a cease-fire." Of course, conservative politicians will denounce this proposal and call instead for locking up more Americans. But we think the church stand reflects a lot of wisdom. Prohibition, America's historic attempt to ban alcohol, was a colossal flop. And the "war on drugs" is virtually a carbon copy of it. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth