Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jun 2015
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2015 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Stan Namovicz
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n295/a05.html

THIS PROHIBITION WON'T WORK EITHER

In her May 31 Sunday Opinion commentary, "Caught in the drug trade," 
Danielle Allen proposed decriminalizing marijuana and other illegal 
drugs as a matter of justice because drug prohibition laws are 
administered inequitably. This reminds me of T.S. Eliot's line, "The 
last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the 
wrong reason."

Even if drug prohibition were administered equitably, it would still 
be a costly folly, as we should have learned many years ago with 
alcohol prohibition. Alcohol and tobacco are as addictive and harmful 
as any of the prohibited drugs. An enlightened policy would legalize, 
regulate, tax and educate. Prohibition serves only to establish a 
criminal enterprise that breeds violence and tends to corrupt law enforcement.

We spend some $50 billion a year to maintain this futile policy. If 
we would do the right thing, we would eliminate a great deal of 
corruption and violence while tapping a significant source of revenue.

Stan Namovicz, Takoma Park
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom