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LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZATION

Terrence Farley's latest letter to your newspaper is purportedly inspired by his feeling that readers need to hear "from a law enforcement perspective".

He then goes on to enumerate his belief that various criminal prohibition-style responses to the very real societal problems of drug abuse have merit and should be expanded.

Readers should know that Farley's "law enforcement" point of view is but one within the field.  A growing group of police, judges and others in criminal justice -- current and retired -- are speaking out against more expansion of status-quo policies.  They have organized as Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

LEAP states with authority that no matter how many people we arrrest and imprison for illegal drug use or sales, the problem will never relent as long as such drugs have their distribution controlled by criminal gangs and cartels.  LEAP suggests a much smarter solution.

We should respond to illegal drug distribution just as we did in 1933 in response to the criminal distribution of the dangerous and popular drug alcohol.  Remove the dealing from the streets and into a licensed and regulated marketplace.  Such a system is not without flaws, but is far preferable to ceding control of sales to unlicensed dealers who conduct violence in our neighborhoods and who actively market to minors.

Most important, casual and responsible users of any drugs -- most notably medical marijuana, to which Farley has in the past stated his opposition -- will no longer have to fear police arresting them and giving them a lifetime criminal record.

STEPHEN HEATH

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Clearwater, Fla.