Pubdate: Mon, 03 Oct 2011
Source: Florida Times-Union (FL)
Copyright: 2011 The Florida Times-Union
Contact:  http://www.jacksonville.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/155
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n588/a06.html

War on Drugs

STUDY PROHIBITION

Tonyaa Weathersbee makes the common mistake of confusing drug-related 
crime with prohibition-related crime in her Sept. 22 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.

With alcohol prohibition repealed, liquor bootleggers no longer gun 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.

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 the drug war is worse.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst,

Common Sense for Drug Policy,

Washington, D.C
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart