Pubdate: Mon, 22 Jun 2009
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2009 The Tribune Co.
Contact: http://www.tbo.com/news/opinion/submissionform.htm
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n623/a02.html
Author: John Chase

DRUG WAR FILLS PRISONS

The reason Florida's prison growth is bad public policy is not 
because there are more Floridians, and not because Floridians have 
grown more violent ("New law gives prisons sensible out," Our 
Opinion, June 15).

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Florida's prison 
population has been growing 2.5 to 3 times as fast as Florida's 
population, and shows no sign of leveling off. In 1980 Florida had 
very few drug prisoners; now they comprise about 20 percent of our 
prisoners, many for marijuana. Just as bootleggers became tax-paying 
businessmen when alcohol prohibition ended, so would grow-house operators.

Every day Floridians see reports of "grow-house" busts. Florida's war 
on marijuana is a costly disgrace, sold to voters by the same 
politicians who now would marginalize them further from the 
mainstream by sending them out of state. Better solutions to 
overcrowded prisons can be found, but they require imagination, a, 
quality lacking in Tallahassee these days.

John Chase, Palm Harbor
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake