Pubdate: Wed, 28 Nov 2001
Source: Rock River Times (IL)
Copyright: The Rock River Times 2001
Contact:  http://www.rockrivertimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/539
Author: Mike Plylar

DARE PART OF THE 'DRUG WAR INDUSTRY'

Dear Editor:

I hope M.L. Simon is right in, "Light at the End of the tunnel?", but one 
thing America has, that these other countries had the good sense not to 
create, is a drug war industry, which employs literally millions of our 
fellow citizens and profits to the tune of hundreds of billions of 
taxpayers' dollars annually.

Before Americans consider a new direction for U.S. drug policy, we should 
take a long, hard look at where we've been. Not another dollar spent, 
prison built, innocent shot, cop corrupted, war waged, right repealed, DARE 
program taught or drug raider deployed, until someone, somewhere, somehow, 
outside the halls of the government-created anti- drug industry, takes a 
long, hard, unbiased look at what just may be nothing more than a 
hysterical witch-hunt run amok.

Do the ends justify the means? Have we actually accomplished one tangible 
thing of note, besides enriching those who espouse and implement these 
draconian measures?

Now that DARE has been exposed as having produced exactly the opposite 
effect we desired, one must question the "achievements" of the other 
freelance anti-drug acronyms. What exactly does our dollar buy? Are their 
products guaranteed? Do they actually encourage, rather than prevent, drug 
use? Surely, our government officials have already begun to take a look at 
this. I doubt it. American drug policy reeks of pork, and we all know how 
the politicos love their lard.

Maybe it's time Americans revisit the whole issue and look at what we've 
done to our fellow citizens, our children, and our legacy, in the name of 
the "War On Drugs." Do we continue the hysteria and complete prohibition, 
while destroying every vestige of our Constitution, or is it time we 
critically review the current scheme, while, at the very least, considering 
cheaper, more effective, less harmful approaches to America's drug "problem"?

It's never too late to reconsider.

Mike Plylar

Kremmling, Co.
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