Pubdate: Thu, 11 May 2006
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2006 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://www.buffalo.com/contact_us/submit_editorial.asp
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Joel Giambra
Note: Joel Giambra is Erie County executive.
Cited: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://www.leap.cc
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?247 (Crime Policy - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?233 (LEAP)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Peter+Christ (Peter Christ)

Violence Is Out of Hand

DRUG LAWS DON'T WORK; IT'S TIME TO TRY LEGALIZING THEM

The illegal drug trade in Western New York has turned many of our 
inner-city streets into war zones. The simple act of sitting on one's 
porch to converse with a neighbor or watch the kids play ball in the 
street is to risk one's life. Turf wars or retaliation for a drug 
deal gone bad have filled our morgues and cemeteries with both 
intended and unintended casualties. Yet the game plan stays the same, 
the strategy of reducing drug use and peddling goes unchanged, 
despite the same devastating results.

When I spoke out and asked for a discussion on the legalization and 
regulation of illegal drugs, I was called crazy by law enforcement 
officials. The topic was deemed so outlandish that it did not deserve 
a second response.

However, despite the public opinion of those whose job it is to 
protect our citizens, there are others who feel it's time for a 
change. Former Tonawanda Police Capt. Peter Christ is one of those 
individuals. Christ is a spokesman for Law Enforcement Against 
Prohibition, or LEAP www.leap.cc. LEAP has more than 2,000 current 
and former police officers, judges and private citizens who do not 
feel it's crazy to change the strategy in combating drugs.

Prohibition did not work in the 20th century to curtail alcohol use. 
It funded an underworld that preyed on the public's desire for a 
drink and killed anyone who stood in its way. Today the prohibition 
on drugs has taken the violence to an even greater level. It's not 
just the drug pushers who are being gunned down by their rivals, but 
anyone who is unfortunate enough to be within range.

My stance on legalizing drugs does not mean that I am in favor of 
drug use. On the contrary, I believe legalizing drugs gives us a 
fighting chance to control the indiscriminate killing and violence 
and treat those who crave the substance. Those who are proclaimed 
criminals because of drug usage are not inclined to seek help. Those 
who die from a "hot shot" because of unregulated substances flowing 
through their veins also cannot come forward.

One argument against legalization is what kind of message it may send 
to our children. Legalized drugs would be, in my opinion, more 
stringently regulated than alcohol or cigarettes among minors. Drug 
usage would no more be condoned among teens than drinking or smoking. 
The current system makes it easier to score an illegal drug in our 
high schools than a can of beer. Does that make sense?

I believe that regulating the drug trade would be more civilized than 
allowing it to be unregulated and controlled by killers and thugs. I 
believe that allowing experts to discuss and create proper 
distribution strategies is not crazy. I believe that by regulating 
and taxing drug use, we create revenue streams to properly educate 
our youth and treat the drug user.

Teen use of cigarettes is going down because of years of education. 
Taking drug use out of the closet and dealing with it, as opposed to 
fooling ourselves that the war is being won, is not crazy. What is 
crazy is dealing with this problem as we have been for the past 70 
years and thinking we are winning.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake