Pubdate: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Contact: 2003 The Maui News Website: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: Kirk Muse Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1493/a04.html Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii ELIMINATING PROHIBITIONS WOULD ELIMINATE DRUG TRADE I'm writing about Jerome Kellner's thoughtful Sept. 30 letter. I agree police are incapable of eliminating neighborhood drug dealers. There's one law, if passed by Congress, that would completely put the illegal meth labs out of business overnight. That would be a law making pharmaceutical-grade amphetamines legally available in local pharmacies for pennies per dose. Ninety years ago when all types of recreational drugs were legally available in local pharmacies for pennies per dose, we didn't have clandestine drug labs or drug-related crime. Increasing law enforcement efforts is only making the product more profitable. Hawaii, Oklahoma and Missouri have some of the toughest anti-meth laws in the country, yet meth use is at record levels in Hawaii, Oklahoma, Missouri and dozens of other states. Prohibition doesn't work. It never has and never will, except to assure full employment for those doing the prohibiting. When alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, the U. S. murder rate declined for 10 consecutive years. Have we learned any lessons? Not yet. Kirk Muse Mesa, Ariz. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk