Pubdate: Sun, 17 Oct 1999
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Author: George Lippman
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99/n1111/a03.html

DOLE PLAN FOR HALTING DRUGS IS JUST LAUGHABLE		

So presidential candidate Dole is going to stop drugs entering into this
country by adding 12,000 more patrol agents at the Mexican border ["Dole
says she will reduce flow of drugs to U.S.," News, Oct. 8]. We don't need a
war against drugs. We need solutions to deal with the problem. We need to
change the drug laws. We need to control drugs and decriminalize. We need
to stop spending $30 billion a year on this war against the citizens of the
United States, begin negotiating peaceful solutions and start using the
money for better purposes than imprisoning non-violent drug users.

Drugs are not that much different from drinking or smoking.

They are all addictive. We need to find ways to deal with it. No amount of
policing will stop it. The problem is too great. Why hire only 12,000 more
agents? Why not 12 million? Mrs. Dole: Don't you get it? We don't want, we
don't need and we can't afford your drug war. We don't need a "war" that
benefits only the drug dealers, our out-of-control justice system, the
prison industry and the career aims of politician. Can't you think of
another solution? That one won't work.

George Lippman
Fullerton
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake