Pubdate: Mon, 25 Jul 2005
Source: Providence Journal, The (RI)
Copyright: 2005 The Providence Journal Company
Contact:  http://www.projo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/352
Author: Larry Seguin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)
Cited: Gonzales v. Raich (www.angeljustice.org/)

AMERICA IS HOOKED NOT ON ILLEGAL DRUGS BUT ON DRUG WAR

The "war on drugs" today is mostly about marijuana ("The marijuana 
ruling," editorial, June 9). Marijuana arrests, convictions and 
incarcerations and the seizure of property in marijuana cases 
constitute the great majority of "drug-war incidents."

Without marijuana prohibition, the drug war and its bloated budget 
would not be justifiable -- nor would the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
Agency, foreign intervention, or political anti-drug posturing. 
Without marijuana prohibition, the whole "war on drugs" would fall apart.

America is in the throes of an addiction, to be sure. But it is to 
the prohibition of drugs, much more than to the use of drugs. 
Enormous and wildly increasing budgets are squandered on ever-higher 
doses of the drug-prohibition habit. Vehement denials are heard that 
the prohibition habit is the problem, along with pronouncements that 
one more big fix of "enforcement and interdiction" will solve the drug problem.

In great fear of withdrawal, the addict will commit any disgrace, 
deception, double-think or crime to get a fix. Drug prohibition has 
become the monkey on the back of democracy itself.

LARRY SEGUIN

Lisbon, N.Y.
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MAP posted-by: Beth