Pubdate: Wed, 09 Feb 2000
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2000 Chicago Tribune Company
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Author: Michael T. Corcoran
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n135/a03.html

DRUG PROBLEMS

WHEATON -- The Jan. 29 letter "Land of jailers" pictured a problem-free
America if the government stopped its drug prohibition policy. This is
nothing more than a half-baked idealistic dream.

It is foolish to say drug use is problem-free. Making drugs legal will only
make the current problem worse as well as destroy any hope of ever
containing this plague in the future. Illegal drugs would become cheaper as
well as widely accessible, and would only encourage more people to
experiment and current users to buy larger quantities of heroin, cocaine
and morphine.

The truth is drugs wreck average people's careers, friendships and
marriages. Accidents in the workplace and on the roads would skyrocket due
to users being too high to concentrate. When desperate, addicts will steal
and kill just to support their ever-growing drug habits.

The solution is for people to cooperate with the government on the goal for
a drug-free America. Parents need to talk to their children about the
dangers of drugs.

There is no up side to using drugs.

Michael T. Corcoran
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