Pubdate: Sun, 06 Jan 2002
Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI)
Copyright: 2002 Eau Claire Press
Contact:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Sean P. Porter

DRUG POLICY A BIG FLOP

Recently, your newspaper published a letter implying that drug users 
support terrorism.

I would argue that it is America's Planet of the Apes "War on Drugs" 
approach that is truly fueling terrorism. Drug prohibition is the 
terrorist's best friend. This is done by driving drug sales into the black 
market. Instead of legitimate drug companies marketing the sales, this is 
now done by underworld figures.

I have a challenge for the letter-writer: because 85 million Americans have 
admitted to trying or using illicit drugs at one time or another, what is 
his solution? Massive internment camps? The United States can truly be a 
"drug free" society, but only if it trades our freedoms for totalitarianism 
like China or some other despotic nation. Is that what the letter writer 
wants for us?

SEAN P. PORTER Mandeville La.
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