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