Pubdate: Tue, 22 Mar 2016
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Frank Austin

WE NEED A NEW APPROACH TO FOOLISH ' WAR ON DRUGS'

Slowly we are coming to realize the foolishness of our national "war 
on drugs" policy and that there is a more effective way to deal with 
the issue. Erie County's recent efforts to deal with the heroin issue 
are significant.

Putting people in jail and demonizing drug usage has only allowed 
criminals to make billions of dollars and increase violence in our country.

In his book, "Chasing the Scream," Johann Hari laid out some 
alternatives to our current policies. Switzerland, Canada and 
Portugal are just a few of the countries trying to establish policies 
that have not only decreased gun violence but decreased drug addiction.

Sadly, in America, Republicans' and Democrats' insistence to punish, 
rather than heal, people has led to organized crime controlling drugs 
and poisoning people; a handful of wealthy individuals creating 
private prison systems; and an attack on Second Amendment freedoms.

Hopefully, we are smarter than the wealthy and foolish "dark money" 
interests who try to control and ruin our democracy.

Frank Austin

Orchard Park
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