Pubdate: Tue, 25 May 2004 Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand) Copyright: 2004 Allied Press Limited Contact: http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925 Author: Kirk Muse Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n752/a06.html?77477 DRUGS REGARDING Duncan Eddy's outstanding letter (12.5.04), I'd like to add that almost all of the problems we have with illegal drugs are because certain (politically selected) drugs are illegal. Because certain drugs are illegal, they are of unknown quality, unknown purity and unknown potency - just like alcohol was when it was illegal in the United States. And just like alcohol was when it was illegal, certain recreational drugs are untaxed, unregulated and controlled by criminal gangs. Many judges and prison wardens have said that 70% to 90% of all violent crime and property crime is "drug-related". Actually, almost 100% of our so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by drug prohibition policies, not drugs. When Coca Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5c a bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist; neither did druglords, drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today. If we re-legalised all types of recreational drugs and made them legally available in local licensed business establishments for pennies per dose, we would need far fewer law enforcement personnel, far fewer prison guards and no prison builders. And many so-called "drug warriors" would be looking for a job or washing cars for a living. Thus, their concern for legalising recreational drugs. Kirk Muse Arizona - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom