Pubdate: Thu, 06 Dec 2007
Source: Jamaica Gleaner, The (Jamaica)
Copyright: 2007 The Gleaner Company Limited
Contact: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/feedback.html
Website: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/493
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1401/a07.html
Author: Robert Sharpe

DRUG WAR FUELS CRIME

Peter Phillips made the common mistake of confusing drug-related crime
with prohibition-related crime in his December 2 column. Attempts to
limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only
increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs
like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to
increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war
doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

Drug prohibition finances organised crime at home and terrorism
abroad, which is then used to justify increased anti-drug war
spending. It's time to end this madness. Thanks to public education
efforts, legal tobacco use has declined considerably in recent years.
Apparently mandatory minimum prison sentences, civil asset forfeiture,
random drug testing and racial profiling are not necessarily the most
cost-effective means of discouraging unhealthy choices.

- - Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy, www.csdp.org,
Washington, D.C. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake