Pubdate: Tue, 19 Jun 2007
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 The Windsor Star
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Kirk Muse

LEGALIZING DRUGS WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE

I'm writing about Dan Gardner's outstanding column: The Real Cost Of
The War On Drugs, June 5. Imagine if we had no "drug-related crime."
Imagine if the overall crime rate was a small fraction of the current
crime rate.

We once had such a situation here in the United States. Prior to the
passage of the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914, the term "drug-related
crime" didn't exist. And drug lords, drug cartels or even drug
dealers, as we know them today, didn't exist either.

Back then, all types of recreational drugs were legally sold to
anybody, with no questions asked, for pennies per dose in grocery
stores and pharmacies. Did we have a lot more drug addicts then
compared to now? No. We had about the same percentage of our
population addicted to drugs, according to U.S. federal Judge John L.
Kane of Colorado.

For the sake of our children, can we re-legalize our now illegal drugs
and sell them licensed business establishments? This would put the
drug dealers and drug lords out of business overnight.

And this would eliminate the lure of the "forbidden fruit" that makes
drugs so attractive to children.

Kirk Muse,

Mesa, Ariz.
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