Pubdate: Mon, 30 Apr 2012
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Michael J. Reznicek
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n232/a01.html

THE WAR ON DRUGS ITSELF IS CAUSING MOST OF THE DAMAGE

"Rethinking the War on Drugs" by Mark A.R. Kleiman, Jonathan P. 
Caulkins and Angela Hawken (Review, April 21) misleads readers into 
thinking that there are programs that will finally make headway into 
the drug problem. Can cities really afford to hire enough 
breathalyzer and drug-test monitors to check drug users twice a day? 
And will "swift and certain sanctions" do anything more than displace 
drug markets like a Whac-A-Mole game, or fill jails and prisons with 
nonviolent users?

Here is an idea: Let's go back to the way we did things prior to 
1914. All drugs were legal for adults, and there were no social 
programs to rescue those who misused them. With no excuses and no 
enabling, people were forced to moderate their use.

Michael J. Reznicek

Spokane, Wash.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom