Pubdate: Wed, 21 Mar 2007
Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Copyright: 2007 Mountain Xpress
Contact:  http://www.mountainx.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/941
Author: Kirk Muse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?233 (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition)

TAKING THE LEAP

I'm writing about Marsha V. Hammond's thoughtful column "Am I my 
brother's keeper?" [Commentary, Feb. 21].

Unfortunately, the common-sense solution to Ashville's crime and drug 
problem lies in Washington, D.C.-not Asheville or any other city or 
town in the United States.

Since the vast majority of all of our violent crime and property 
crime is caused by not drugs themselves, but rather our 
drug-prohibition policies, the common-sense solution is to 
re-legalize all of our now illegal drugs. Then the drugs can be sold 
in legal, regulated and licensed business establishments.

Then drug dealers as we know them today will disappear for economic 
reasons. Then our so-called "drug-related crime" will be in our 
past-not our future.

Most people currently employed in law enforcement are against 
re-legalization of our now illegal drugs. That's because we would 
need far fewer law-enforcement personnel if all drugs were re-legalized.

However, there is one organization made up of law-enforcement 
personnel who favor the re-legalization of all drugs despite the fact 
that it's against their own economic self-interest to do so. That 
organization is called L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).

L.E.A.P. now has over 6,500 members and supporters. Most are current 
or former law-enforcement personnel, judges and prosecutors who have 
first-hand experience that our so-called war on drugs is 
counterproductive and not winnable.

I suggest the readers visit the L.E.A.P. Web site at: http://www.leap.cc.

Then arrange for a speaker from L.E.A.P. to give an informative and 
entertaining talk about our current and past drug policies to any 
organization or group. Most will arrive at the L.E.A.P. talk 
skeptical-most will leave convinced. Convinced that we must make 
major changes to our nation's drug policies.

- - Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman