Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jun 2005
Source: Charleston Gazette (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Charleston Gazette
Contact:  http://www.wvgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/77
Note: Does not print out of town letters.
Author: Nate Orders

WAR ON DRUGS USELESS, MUST END

Editor:

The awful murder of the four teens in Huntington is even more sickening 
since it became apparent the event was drug-related. It is another sad 
example of how the war on drugs has made us less safe.

While alcohol and drug abuse have basically the same side effects, they are 
harmful only to the small population of users and their families. And these 
problems can be countered with treatment and counseling.

Since alcohol is legal, it is cheap. And because there is no great profit 
to be made selling whiskey, there are no violent gangs fighting over 
whiskey territories. Meanwhile, the black market created by drug 
prohibition enriches the criminals in our society, while the rest of us 
live in fear.

Eradicating drug abuse is a laudable goal, but these murders show that 
prohibition carries too high a price. End the War on Drugs.

Nate Orders

Charleston
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom