Pubdate: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 Source: Summit Daily News (CO) Copyright: 2009 Summit Daily News Contact: http://apps.summitdaily.com/forms/letter/index.php Website: http://www.summitdaily.com/home.php Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/587 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n1092/a13.html Author: Robert Sharpe PROHIBITION ADDS TO DRUG TRAFFICKING Regarding Anthony Gregory's Dec. 7 op-ed, the drug war has a clear historical precedent in alcohol prohibition. 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. With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun each other down in drive-by shootings, nor do consumers go blind drinking unregulated bathtub gin. While U.S. politicians ignore the drug war's historical precedent, European countries are embracing harm reduction, a public health alternative based on the principle that both drug abuse and prohibition have the potential to cause harm. Examples of harm reduction include needle exchange programs to stop the spread of HIV, marijuana regulation aimed at separating the hard and soft drug markets, and treatment alternatives that do not require incarceration as a prerequisite. Unfortunately, fear of appearing "soft on crime" compels many U.S. politicians to support a failed drug war that ultimately subsidizes organized crime. Drug abuse is bad, but drug prohibition is worse. Robert Sharpe, MPA Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, DC - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake