Pubdate: Sat, 14 Sep 2002 Source: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (TX) Copyright: 2002 The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Contact: http://www.lubbockonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/841 Author: Jo Henderson LEGALIZING DRUGS NOT ANSWER Re: The letter "Decriminalization Of Drugs" (A-J, 9-4). I am sometimes amused and always amazed that people can lack the critical thinking skills to read and research the issue of legalizing illegal drugs. I kept a wonderful article you ran on May 22, 1997, by Dr. Theodore Dalrymple, a physician in England who makes excellent points concerning this issue. As Dr. Dalrymple stated, "A man whose appetite is his law is not liberated but enslaved," He also addresses the argument that, "It isn't the pharmacological properties of drugs that is the scourge of society, but the criminal activity." The problem is: Drug dealers aren't going to become model citizens when they can no longer sell drugs. They will find other things to do illegally because they hold contempt for people who work an honest day's labor for an honest day's pay. People who are using now would continue to use, but add countless others who would try and possibly get hooked were there to be no legal consequences for use. How do you plan to pay for the damaged lives of the users and the people that their use affects? Dr. Dalrymple cites Amsterdam as a city "where access to drugs is relatively unproblematic and is among the most violent and squalid cities in Europe." Legalization will not do anything to "keep our society safe from violent criminals." JO HENDERSON Lubbock Health Education Coordinator Texas Tech University Via e-mail - --- MAP posted-by: Beth