Pubdate: Sun, 06 Jan 2002
Source: The Monitor (TX)
Copyright: 2002 The Monitor
Contact:  http://www.themonitor.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1250
Authors: Redford Givens, John Savard, David Hawes, Kirk Muse

FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF SWITZERLAND

To the editor:

The Monitor is exactly right in condemning drug prohibition as a "futile 
effort to save people from themselves" ("Bad Combination," Jan. 2), but it 
is worth mentioning that any genuine "social problems" associated with drug 
use and drug addiction are quite small compared to the damage being done by 
a lunatic drug crusade.

Proof that drugs do not cause major societal disruptions comes from the 
Swiss Heroin Maintenance Program where there was not one single heroin 
overdose death among 856 case-hardened addicts in a three-year period. 
Compare that with the hundreds of drug prohibition-caused deaths in Texas 
every year.

Moreover, there were only three new HIV infections, four hepatitis B 
infections and five hepatitis C infections during the study (in a total of 
11 people) among the 856 Swiss addicts. Compare the Swiss HIV/AIDS 
infection rate with Edinburg and the rest of Texas where over 30 percent of 
all new HIV/AIDS cases occur among injection-drug users. Cause of death: 
Prohibition-mandated dirty needles!

Criminal activity among Swiss addicts in the program (856 for 3 years) went 
down 60 percent in the first few months and eventually dropped 90 percent.

Social integration of participants in the heroin maintenance program 
rapidly improved (in particular, there were no longer any homeless) and 
fitness for work improved considerably. Permanent employment more than 
doubled (from 14 percent to 32 percent), and the number of unemployed fell 
by more than a half (from 44 percent to 20 percent) — the remainder lived 
on benefits or irregular employment. A third of patients who, on admission, 
were dependent on welfare required no further support. (See: Programme for 
a Medical Prescription of Narcotics: Final Report of the Research 
Representatives: http://www.lindesmith.org/library/swiss_ index.html)

Swiss drug policy demonstrates the utter insanity underlying America's drug 
war.

Redford Givens,

San Francisco, Calif.

- -------------------------------------------------

A SOCIAL PROBLEM, NOT A CRIMINAL ONE

To the editor:

It seems Hugh Kelley is opposed to drug legalization ("Legalization won't 
work," Jan. 3). Unfortunately, his reasons for this position are so twisted 
and distorted one really has to wonder what his true motivation is.

I haven't heard of any "financial controls" that can stop a suitcase of 
money from going anywhere. Secondly, to admit in one sentence that 
legalization would reduce the crime rate and unnecessary prison 
overcrowding by non-violent offenders, and in that very same sentence say 
crime would go up, is incoherent gibberish. And what does legalizing 
murder, rape and robbery have to do with the price of tea in China? Who 
ever said anything about that?

We as freedom-loving people want to live in a society that Thomas Jefferson 
envisioned: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness! No one said 
anything about allowing violent crimes against other people. That is wrong 
and everyone knows it. But how I pursue my happiness in my own home is none 
of Mr. Kelley's damn business.

To associate the evils of alcohol with legalizing other drugs is faulty 
logic. Just as society has begun to finally crack down on the guilty people 
who abuse alcohol -- and not those who enjoy in moderation -- so too must 
there be a way to punish those who infringe on the liberty of others and 
leave everyone else alone. I don't hear Mr. Kelley calling for a ban on 
alcohol.

Drugs are a social problem. If the premium paid for drugs due to their 
illegality was removed, people would not have to resort to crime to feed 
their habit. It is time we acknowledge human nature and accept that people 
are going to desire to change their state of mind, and no one can do 
anything about it. It's about moderation and control — not prohibition.

John Savard,

Boulder, Colo.

- --------------------------------------------------

SHOCKINGLY STRAIGHT TALK ON DRUG WAR

To the editor:

Your Jan. 2 editorial, "Bad Combination," was shockingly straight talk on a 
subject that is not used to getting that treatment.

Mr. Novak's faulty conclusion that the drug war and war on terrorism should 
be tied together only makes sense if you close one eye and cock your head 
to the side.

Obviously, if it were not for the inflated drug prices caused by the war on 
drugs, terrorists would not have this easy source of cash.

David A. Hawes,

Old River, Texas

- ---------------------------------------------------

PROHIBITION STILL IS NOT WORKING

To the editor:

I am responding to Hugh Kelley's letter, "Legalization won't work" (Jan. 
3). When alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, the crime rate declined 
substantially. For 10 consecutive years the murder rate declined.

Prohibition of recreational drugs isn't working, except to provide full 
employment for those doing the prohibiting.

Because of drug prohibition, drug buyers are buying drugs of unknown 
quality, unknown purity and unknown potency. This is not unlike the 
"bathtub gin" of the alcohol prohibition era that resulted in needless 
deaths and blindings.

Kirk Muse,

Vancouver, Wash.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens