Pubdate: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 Source: Washington Times (DC) Copyright: 2001 News World Communications, Inc. Contact: http://www.washtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492 Author: Robert Sharpe, Program officer, The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation PERU SHOOT-DOWN SYMPTOM OF OUT-OF-CONTROL DRUG WAR The deaths of two members of an American missionary family in Peru should serve as a wake-up call about the state of the drug war ("Peru downs planes with help of U.S. in drug program," April 24). Autocratic former president Alberto Fujimoripracticed a scorched-earth campaign against Peru's Shining Path guerrilla movement, which is financed by black-market coca profits. Allegations of corruption, rampant human rights violations and civilian deaths are remarkably similar to the current situation in Colombia. How many innocent Peruvians have been sacrificed at the altar of America's drug war? As Peruvian coca production has gone down, Colombian coca production and domestic methamphetamine production both have gone up, along with the U.S. incarceration rate, now the highest in the world. When will the champions of the free market in the U.S. Congress acknowledge that immutable laws of supply and demand render the drug war a costly exercise in futility? This is not to say that all drugs should be legalized. Taxing and regulating marijuana would effectively undermine the black market. Marijuana provides the black-market contacts that introduce users to drugs such as cocaine. Our current policy is a gateway policy. Separating the hard- and soft-drug markets and establishing strict age controls are critical. Right now, youngsters have an easier time buying pot than beer. Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like to think the children are more important than the message. Opportunistic "tough on drugs" politicians no doubt would disagree. ROBERT SHARPE Program officer The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew